Venjix's Final Campaign
by Knightwood
Summary: The end of the war is coming, and Venjix will stop at nothing to ensure victory. Even if the Rangers win, how much will be lost in the process?
1. Venjix's New Offensive

Here's the beginning of my version of the finale arc to RPM. Hope you all like it.

**Legal: **I do not own Power Rangers or any of the associated names, places, events etc. Anything not covered by those rights is to be presumed to be purely the creation of the author.

**Rating:** T, may be some adult material including violence.

Summer woke up in Dillon's arms, as she had done a few times before, but this time was different. This was the first night they had spent together as man and wife. Looking down to her hand, seeing her new wedding ring, she pulled his arms around herself more tightly. She felt Dillon shifting a little, getting more comfortable.

"Good morning." He greeted her with a soft whisper in her ear, kissing her cheek as he did so. "How does it feel?"

"It's not how I pictured it." She told him, turning around in his grip to face him. As he looked at her curiously, she smiled brightly, causing his heart to race faster, just as it had the first time he had seen her smile like that. "It's even better. I love you Mr. Landsdown."

"You know I love you, but I am not becoming Mr. Landsdown." He replied, kissing her passionately. "I might not be the most traditional guy, but that's a little out there even for me."

"Well we have to think of something." She told him.

"What's the hurry?" He asked her. "We have all the time in the world."

"Actually, we should be moving pretty soon." Summer cut him off, placing a hand on his forehead as me moved in to kiss her again. "We still haven't seen our new niece yet."

"I'm sure Chas and Brie will understand." He assured her. "Can't we just have a little longer as newlyweds before we get back into things? It's bad enough we're still on call waiting for Venjix."

"As tempting as that is, we need to get up." She replied, reaching across to her dresser, grabbing her bath robe and pulling it on. "I'm going for a shower."

"That sounds like an idea." He agreed, beginning to get up. Summer laughed as she saw this. Making their way through to the bathroom, Summer felt right about this. It was upsetting that they couldn't spend some time just enjoying their new life together. Their duties as Rangers were too important, but she knew that it didn't matter. They had the rest of their lives to worry about having a honeymoon period. As long as they could enjoy the little things like waking up together, she could wait.

In the main room, Flynn and Sam arrived, finding Ziggy over by the counter changing Alex. He squirmed a little at Ziggy's touch, letting out a few contented gurgles as he held him reassuringly. They came over as he deposited the diaper in a nearby trash can.

"Good grief man, can that spell be natural?" Flynn asked him as Sam looked down on the little boy in awe. Ziggy started wiping down his son gently.

"Well he isn't going to be on solids for a while, so his poop is mostly made of fermenting milk." He reminded the Blue Ranger, reaching for the baby powder. "You get used to it though."

"He's adorable. I can't wait until it's my turn." She commented a little dreamily as Ziggy finished up, beginning to dress him. "You're so lucky."

"I know, he's the most amazing thing in my life." Ziggy told them happily. Tenaya just coughed a little as she came into the room, hearing this. "You know what I mean."

"So have you visited your brother yet?" Flynn asked him.

"Not yet, we were planning to go today once Summer and Dillon finally...speak of the devils!" Tenaya announced as her brother and her sister-in-law came into the room.

Summer and Dillon arrived in the room, Dillon quickly taking a seat by the breakfast table while Summer rushed over to Tenaya, hugging her tightly.

"So how does your first day as an official member of the family feel?" Tenaya asked her. Summer just smiled.

"It's taking some getting used to." She replied. "We still haven't figured out what we're going to do for a surname. Why we can't..."

"Not going to happen sweetheart." Dillon interrupted her as he realised she was about to suggest going with Landsdown again. Dr. K and Scott came into the room, followed closely by Gem and Gemma. The twins had been up for quite some time, searching out all the fireworks they had set up, and disarming the ones they hadn't used. In his enthusiasm, Gem had set up so many that even he had forgotten all of them, and had only set off a little over half of them. Fortunately no one had set off any by accident, but Dr. K had insisted they go over the building thoroughly lest it turn into a rather elaborate booby trap.

"I see you've been busy." Flynn commented, seeing the large collection of explosives in their arms. They deposited them on a nearby workbench. Tenaya sidestepped away a little involuntarily; a little nervous in case any of them were still active despite her knowledge that if Gem knew about anything, it was explosives. "Are you sure that's all of them?"

"We're sure." Gemma sighed. She hadn't wanted to take any of the spotlight from the newlyweds, and so she and Hicks hadn't yet told anyone about their relationship. She still couldn't believe how amazing he looked in his tuxedo. She almost wished there were more occasions that would warrant such attire.

"Well I'm glad we all had a good time last night, but unfortunately it's back to business." Scott announced. "There'll be a briefing in the lab in 20 minutes, so everyone get some breakfast and be ready to begin."

Over at the asylum, Marcus was sitting in the canteen with Cassandra. The military were in the process of vetting new guards for the building. After the problems before, Marcus wasn't taking any chances. He had taken to protecting the building himself, allowing doctors in to administer treatments under his supervision while the military dealt with the old administration.

It felt strangely good to be in such a position. It felt like the early days of the resistance shortly after he had discovered his first colony of refugees in the wastes. Those in his care gave him a sense of purpose. When his rage and despair had left him believing that he had nothing left, it was his duty to them which kept him from his self-destructive path. While the war took its toll on his resolve, and he occasionally forgot what was important, the experience saving Cassandra and the others had been what reminded him of those times.

He was alone in the canteen with her. Father Larry had not yet convinced the Colonel to release her into his care. While they concentrated on getting the asylum re-staffed, it was considered not the best time to give her a full examination to confirm that taking her off medication had indeed improved her condition. On Father Larry's recommendation, she was being kept largely in isolation for her own good, limiting the amount of people who were around her to keep the confusing mental and emotional noise she picked up from others to a minimum until he could get time to fully explain her gift.

He heard a knock on the door, and turned around to find Vasquez and a couple of soldiers in the doorway. As he had instructed, they waited dutifully by the door while he was with her, again keeping their distance to reduce the strain on Cassandra. He went over, opening the door and shaking her hand.

"The doctors are waiting in the treatment area as usual." Vasquez informed him. "We should be able to get the first of the new guards to you in a couple of days. They've passed the vetting procedure..."

"Not my vetting procedure." Marcus interrupted her. Vasquez just shook her head.

"I know, I remember our agreement." Vasquez assured him. With Hicks out of the way, Colonel Truman had assigned her to the task of dealing with the recruitment. It wasn't something that made her comfortable; she had always been more comfortable in situations where she didn't have to spend so much time around others. She was not a social creature at all, preferring the company of computer systems and her cat Elwood, but Colonel Truman had been so impressed with her work, he had been trying to push her into accepting more responsibilities and train as an officer for so long, and it was becoming wearing. She was happy as his technical analyst. "I'll send them over at a time to suit you."

"Marcus, are you...?" Cassandra came over, intending to ask him a question, but her words tailed off as she locked eyes with Vasquez for the first time. Marcus noticed the pause and looked between them curiously.

"What is it?" Marcus asked her. Cassandra just looked confused, and a little worried by whatever she was picking up from the visitors. Vasquez looked a little troubled too, having been briefed on the situation with Cassandra. It felt uncomfortable, almost invasive to have her stare at her like that, knowing that she could see so much about her.

"You're troubled about something." Cassandra told her. "You...I can't get a firm image, but...you have something..."

Marcus caught her as she started to keel over.

"Sickness...it's all...there's death...fear..." She muttered. Marcus looked to Vasquez curiously.

"Sickness...Elwood!" Vasquez told him. "My cat, he's really ill. I took him to the vet. He's on medication but they don't know how serious it is."

"You still don't understand your gift. Is it possible that's all it is?" Marcus asked Cassandra. She looked thoroughly disorientated and weakened, but she nodded gently. "Vasquez, would you and your guys mind stepping outside? She's having..."

"No problem. We have a few things we need to take care of." Vasquez told him. "We'll show ourselves out."

Marcus helped Cassandra back to her chair, sitting with her as she stroked her head gently, massaging her temples.

"Are you alright?" He asked her.

"I really wish I could understand what's happening to me." She moaned as she tried to straighten out her mind.

"What did you want to ask me?" He asked her. "You came to ask me something."

"I wanted to know if you've finished with your toast." She told him, smiling weakly. "I'm a little hungry."

Marcus just took the slices off his plate and gave them to her. He wanted to do what he could to help her.

Back at the Garage, the Rangers assembled in the lab after breakfast. Dr. K had cued up the display screens with the results of her surveillance on the palace.

"As you know Venjix has been incredibly quiet as of late. For the last two months in fact, there hasn't been so much as one Grinder seen within the city limits." Dr. K began. "I know none of us are foolish enough to believe that Venjix would simply give up."

"The last any of us heard from them was when we expelled Kilobyte from the city." Dillon reminded them. "That was...right after Alex was born."

"His energy signature still exists, so it seems like he's still around." Dr. K told them. "It also seems likely that he's not been resting on his laurels. In two months he's almost certain to be fully repaired, possibly even upgraded."

"Together with Venjix's new body, that means they could have some pretty sick firepower behind them." Flynn added.

"I've also been tracking emissions and energy levels from Venjix's main factory within the palace." Dr. K continued with the briefing. "We have no idea what they're building, but we do know that the machines are operating at a level thousands of times greater than before. It seems prudent to prepare for a major offensive in the near future."

"Even if all he's producing is Grinders, with that level of production, they'll be producing an incredible force." Scott added. "We calculate that they would be capable of producing a Grinder for every man woman and child in Corinth within the next 48 hours."

"So what's the plan?" Ziggy asked them, gently rocking Alex's crib as he slept. "The suspense is killing us."

"I'm working on a project that may be able to secure victory over Venjix once and for all." Dr. K told them. "In the mean time, Colonel Truman has increased production in the munitions factories. If a major invasion comes, we may have no choice but to start drafting every able bodied person to the effort."

"Until then, all we can do is wait until Venjix tips his hand." Scott told them. "Stay alert guys, we can expect something soon."

As soon as the briefing broke up, Gemma made her way to her room for some privacy, dialling Hicks' number. She wanted to see him, to talk to him today, but she knew that right now she needed to help her brother and Dr. K with the analysis.

"Hi this is Hicks..."

"Hicks, It's..."

"I can't speak right now, please leave a message after the beep." Gemma felt a little disappointed that he wasn't able to talk to her. She had been going to meet with him every day since he went on personal leave. This would be the first time she would miss an appointment. She just wanted to let him know.

"Hicks, its Gemma. I can't make it over tonight." She began, trying to find the words to explain. "Dr. K's been tracking a lot of activity around the palace. We're on high alert around here. I need to stay and help them. Take care Hicks, I love you."

As she hung up, there was an alarm in the city. Gem burst into the room, finding her staring longingly at the phone, lost in thoughts of the man she had fallen for so hard.

"Gemma, it looks like Venjix has sent us a great little warm up. A load of Grinders just showed up in the city." He told her. "It's boom time!"

With that, they all rushed to their vehicles, preparing to get back into the fray. He had been quiet for a long time, but it looked like Venjix was ready to start right back where he had left off.

In another part of town, Father Larry was beginning to put bibles out on the pews in preparation for his next service when he became aware someone was in the building. He could feel it. He turned around to see who had come into the room, already feeling uneasy.

"I guess it's too much to hope for you're here for some quiet reflection." He commented sadly. "Now I know why you never attended any of my sermons."

"I don't need to pray." A voice said with a little venom as the intruder started to advance down the aisle, looking up to the crucifix over the altar. "You might want to though."

"They don't know do they?" He asked the intruder as he made his way over to his lectern. Although it wasn't his way, by habit he kept a small hand blaster in a hidden compartment in the lectern for emergencies. His brow furrowed. "You didn't know either did you?"

"Venjix has infiltrators in key positions all over this city." The intruder informed him. "Their memories of the procedure are blocked so they wouldn't give themselves away too early. My programming was activated earlier. It seems we had a problem Venjix hadn't considered."

His eyes grew wide in horror as he realised what he meant.

"Cassandra!" He gasped. "What have you done?"

"Nothing yet, but she did indicate that you empaths could present us with some difficulties." The intruder informed him. "Since you're the only one with control of your gift..."

Father Larry pulled out the hand blaster and fired off a shot, which the infiltrator barely managed to dodge, before grabbing one of the pews, launching its weight effortlessly with one hand almost thirty feet, smashing through the lectern and sprawling him on the floor. Father Larry looked around, scrabbling to get to the hand blaster as the infiltrator closed in.

"You know you're no match for me." The infiltrator told him. "Why do you resist? Why make this any more painful than it needs to be?"

The infiltrator finally reached him, stomping down on his knee, shattering it. Father Larry let out a hellish scream of agony as the infiltrator picked up his blaster, throwing it away out of reach.

"You already know how this ends." The infiltrator told him, bending down over him. "Why struggle?"

"I know you're still in there. I know it's possible to defeat the programming." He implored him. "Remember all the people who love you, who did love you."

Hicks grabbed his hair, yanking his head back painfully and sneered at him.

"Nothing can defeat Venjix." He snapped at him, twisting his head sharply and shattering his neck with ease. The infiltrator took Father Larry's lifeless corpse, looking up to the crucifix on the wall. It was a symbol of hope, of faith. It provided these foolish humans with strength in the face of the inevitable. He threw the limp form of Father Larry, smashing it through the idol. Observing his body, tangled among the debris, he turned and left the building, its assignment complete.

Over at the Garage, the Rangers came back from the battle, having taken care of the Grinders. As they came back, Scott came to Dr. K's side, kissing her deeply.

"Well it looks like Venjix hasn't changed up his strategy that much." He commented happily, putting his arm around the woman he loved. "That almost seemed easier than before."

"Well I have to admit you all came back before I would have expected." They heard a familiar voice. They all turned to see Kilobyte entering the room, carrying a strange new weapon. They all moved into positions around him. "So Tenaya, how is motherhood treating you?"

"You aren't going to get your hands on him!" Ziggy warned him, morphing and rushing the General.

"Ziggy no!" Scott roared as Ziggy's wild swing with his Turbo Axe was ducked skilfully by the General.

"I have no interest in the brat anymore!" He replied, grabbing Ziggy by the throat and levelling his weapon at Dr. K. Seeing that no one was close enough to intercept the blast, Ziggy teleported over to her as Kilobyte pulled the trigger. Grabbing her, he teleported away, but not quickly enough as Kilobyte's blast hit the energy trail left by Ziggy's teleportation as he went. There was a massive energy wave which filled the room, scattering the Rangers and Kilobyte onto the floor.

"It looks like my mission is successful." Kilobyte told them. "Dr. K is gone, and I've taken the Green Ranger into the bargain."

Scott let out a savage cry, smashing the weapon to smithereens with his Street Sabre. Kilobyte activated a device in his chest, teleporting from the Garage. Scott turned to the twins frantically. "Where are they? What did he do to them?"

"I can't find their life signatures anywhere!" Gemma told him, checking the scanners. "They've disappeared.


	2. Dr K and Ziggy

As they re-materialised, Dr. K and Ziggy landed on an unsteady surface, which quickly shifted under their feet, causing both of them to lose their balance and fall, tumbling over and over again down a mountain of rubble. As they finally came to a halt, Ziggy looked around, quickly finding Dr. K and rushed over to her, kneeling by her side as he skidded to a halt on the gravel.

"Sorry, I don' know what happened." He told her. "Dr. K are you alright?"

"I am not significantly injured, though I could use some antiseptic and access to a laundry." She answered grumpily, inspecting her dirty, and slightly damaged lab coat. Ziggy picked himself up, looking around in horror. He didn't recognise where they were at all. There were a few buildings all around in various states of ruin. Everything around was charred, and crumbling. Dr. K shoved him away a little as she stood up.

"Dr. K, I'm sorry I don't know where we are." He informed her. "I've never seen this place before. I concentrated on Corinth Square I swear it."

"Well this doesn't look much like Corinth Square now does it?"." She grumbled, pointing upwards. Looking up at the dark, smoggy sky and pointed. Ziggy's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "It appears that whatever that weapon Kilobyte fired at us does, it seems to have thrown off your teleportation."

"Where's the dome?" He asked her. "You mean we're not in Corinth?"

"It doesn't look like it does it?" She replied sarcastically. "Ziggy, get us out of here."

He tried to activate his morpher, but it just sat lifelessly on his wrist. Nothing happened when he tried to morph or teleport.

"It's not working." He told her, handing it to her to inspect. "It must be broken."

"Everything here looks like it works." She responded as she checked the wiring and circuits quickly with a small screwdriver. "I can't understand it.

Ziggy grabbed her and pulled her aside into cover as they heard footsteps. He was sure that being so far out from the dome that they couldn't see anything familiar; he was expecting a patrol of Grinders. They watched from a safe distance as the strangers went past.

"This doesn't make sense." Ziggy commented as he watched them pass by. "They're human."

"They're wearing Corinth military uniforms." Dr. K pointed out. "Why would they be out here?"

"Maybe they're refugees." Ziggy suggested. "They do say there's strength in numbers. Maybe we should find out who they are."

Just then, they heard a weapon cocking and looked up to see four men in deep blue bodysuits made of what looked a lot like latex, though it seemed to house a number of raised plates at strategic points on their bodies. There was a radiation shield attached to the left breast of each suit, indicating the level of toxicity in the area. All four had short, tidy crew-cuts and styled beards and moustaches blending into their hair line. The weapon being trained on them appeared to be one neither of them recognised.

"Who goes there?" One of them called out.

"My name's Ziggy Grover." He informed them. "We don't mean you any harm; we just want to know where we are and how to get back to Corinth."

The leader of the group looked to the others, a small smile crossing his lips.

"He says he's Ziggy Grover." He repeated. The men started to laugh insincerely. The leader grabbed a baton from his belt, swinging it and striking Ziggy in the temple with unbelievable speed. A bright blue flash accompanied the impact, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Dr. K Just looked at the men coldly.

"Trust my luck to run into some of Ziggy's friends even out here." She muttered as the leader put away his weapon and pulled out restraints.

"No one has to get hurt little lady." He assured her, holding them up. "I'm sure the boss would love to meet you."

Back at the Garage, Scott and Flynn widened their search as far as the scanners would reach as they tried to locate their missing friends. Gem and Gemma meanwhile were busy trying to figure out what the weapon Kilobyte had been carrying did by piecing together the debris.

"I still can't find anything." Scott complained. "We've already upped the range to far beyond the range of Ziggy's teleportation ability and we still can't find anything."

"We have to find them." Tenaya put down flatly, holding onto Alex tightly as she tried in vain to calm herself. "They have to be somewhere!"

"Listen, we all want to get them back. Scott isn't giving up." Summer assured her as she tried to take Alex from her. He was becoming a little upset, obviously picking up on how Tenaya was feeling, and Summer just wanted to take him to ease him a little. Tenaya tough wasn't having any of it, snatching him away a little, keeping hold of him as though fearful of losing him too.

"We're not giving up. We just need to figure out what to try next." Scott told her. "Gem, is there any luck piecing together what that thing is? Maybe that will help us."

"I still don't know if I have all the pieces." He replied with a forced grin. "You kind of went to town with that street sabre."

"Well let me know when you find something." Scott told them. He looked calm and collected as he always did, but inside, he was paralysed with dread over what could have happened to the woman he loved. There was no telling what happened, or even if….he couldn't bring himself to imagine what he'd do if his worst fears were confirmed.

Ziggy cam to, finding his wrists shackled together. Dr. K was a short way off, watching their captors, similarly restrained. The four men had their backs to them, concentrating on what they were doing.

"Are you alright?" She asked him. Ziggy rubbed the side of his face, nodding.

"It feels like my head's been smashed with a sledgehammer, but yeah." He replied gently. He gestured to the four men. "What are they doing?"

"They said they were stopping for something to eat." She told him. Ziggy's eyes grew wide as he got a flashback of the Dregs that had captured him in Omega City. Dr. K saw this and put a hand on his arm. "They haven't built a fire. They aren't going to cook us; it looks like they're carrying some other form of sustenance."

"Well I'll still feel better with a little distance between us and them." He whispered in response. "It doesn't look like we're secured in any way. If we just move quietly…"

"I can hear you like you were sitting next to me." One of the strangers interrupted him loudly without bothering to look around. "You wouldn't get ten feet before we cut you down."

"Are you hybrids?" Dr. K asked them, trying to make sense of what they had said, while she pulled a small tool from her pocket quietly, beginning to try and figure out how the restraints opened while she distracted them. "Are you taking us to Venjix?"

The four men just looked at each other and laughed as though taking amusement in her ignorance, like she had asked if they were taking her to the Gingerbread House or if they were working for the Tooth Fairy.

"Venjix?" He asked her. "God, I guess the lab coat's more of a fashion statement than a sign of intelligence."

Just then, one of the strangers fell to the ground lifelessly, an energy blast penetrating his skull. The remaining three snapped to their feet as dozens of men, dressed in Corinth military uniforms rushed into the clearing.

As they started to move, one of them covered Dr. K, levelling a weapon in her direction. His uniform was dirty, hastily repaired, and looked like it was incredibly old. She thought this was odd, since the military had only adopted the uniforms after the dome had been closed.

He saw the restraints and realised they were prisoners, turning back to the fray. Dr. K watched in awe at the battle. The Corinth soldiers fought bravely, but it seemed the remaining three strangers were more than a match for them, moving with unnatural ease, seemingly dodging laser blasts while firing back with superior weapons. She and Ziggy pulled back with the guard who had rescued them, watching as others fell in the retreat.

Just then, an explosion detonated by one of them, sending him to the ground. A man rushed from the shadows, kicking him hard in the ribs, pinning him to the ground with his boot, before smashing him in the face with the barrel of a gun. He fired at point-blank range obliterating the stranger's skull. It was then that the remaining two took flight, leaving the battlefield.

It was only then that there was enough light for Ziggy to see who the new arrival was. He looked a lot older, his hair almost completely gone, and his face was heavily scarred. His left eye was gone, covered by a black eye patch. He noticed then that what he had thought was a rifle was in fact grafted directly to his arm, replacing his right hand. His right leg had been replaced with a crude bionic replacement.

"Flynn?" Ziggy asked him. The Blue Ranger approached him looking at the young man suspiciously.

"How do you know that name?" He asked him, eyeing up Ziggy as though he had no idea who he could have been. He seemed to be unable to recognise either of them as he paced back and forward, inspecting the pair. He grabbed Dr. K's lab coat, seeing the Alphabet Soup insignia on it. "Where did you get this?"

"I always wear it." Dr. K told him. "You've seen me wear it many times."

"Commander McAllister, the remaining GEARS have disappeared, they got away." One of the soldiers informed him. "We've got six men needing urgent medical attention. Peters and Clarke are already dead."

"Flynn, what happened to you?" She asked him. "What's going on here? Where are we? How did we get here?"

"This is Corinth Square." He told them. Dr. K saw the noticeable signs of aging in her former Blue Ranger and came closer.

"This can't be Corinth Square; it looks nothing like I remember." Ziggy told him. "What happened here? The place is totalled, not to mention there is the small matter of what the hell happened to the dome."

"How long have I been gone?" She asked him. "What year is it? Are those things hybrids? Did Venjix win?"

"They must have been breathing too many fumes." One of the soldiers commented. "The Dome? Hybrids? Venjix?"

"Venjix was destroyed over 30 years ago." Flynn informed them.

"Then who were those guys in the jump suits?" Ziggy asked him. "If Venjix is gone, then who are they and who do they work for?"

"We don't have time to discuss this. We need to get out of here before they come back with more of their kind." He barked as his men scavenged what they could from the camp. "Do not release them from the restraints. We still have no idea if this is some kind of trick. Blindfold them and bring them with us. Move out!"

As his men blindfolded Dr. K and Ziggy, the doctor couldn't help wondering what could have happened here. All she knew was what they had been told. 30 years had passed. Venjix was gone, so was the dome but instead of getting better, it looked like things had only gotten worse.

Back at the Garage, in the present, Gem pulled off his goggles as he finished inspecting the weapon, backing away from the work bench. Scott abandoned his scans, which were still showing nothing, and approached the twins. Seeing this, Tenaya rushed over too.

"Have you found anything?" He asked them. "What is this thing?"

"It appears to work on a similar principal to Flynn's time manipulation burst." Gem informed them. "It manipulates the time-field in the atoms of matter it hits, but instead of halting the movement of atoms, it speeds it up."

"Speeds it up?" Scott asked him. "So what does that mean?"

"All atoms move. Speeding them up weakens the bonds between them until…" He held his hands together, and then slowly moved them apart to illustrate his point in a vain attempt not to worry Scott or Tenaya. It failed miserably though, as Tenaya just became noticeably distraught, almost collapsing on the spot. Summer grabbed her.

"So you're trying to tell me that they just…disintegrated?" Scott asked him as calmly as he could, his eyes showing equal measures of pain and anger as he tried to remain in control.

"No, I don't think so." He told them, checking another computer. "You see if they had just…" He made the hand motion again, though regretted it as Tenaya looked like she was ready to tear him apart. "There wouldn't have been any light or sound. The atoms would just have drifted apart. Like a bunch of balloons when the strings are cut."

"So what happened?" Summer asked him. Gem showed them the footage.

"As you can see, they were hit while Ziggy was teleporting them." He informed them. "It seems that the beam hit them when their atoms were already slipping into the space time continuum."

"What does that mean?" Scott asked him. Gem just looks a little regretful, wishing he had another answer for them.

"I don't know." He told them. Scott just ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Well get back to working on this and don't waste our time again until you have something useful to tell us!" He sapped at the Gold Ranger, shoving him into the work bench. Gem looked hurt by the way he had been chastised by his leader as he stormed away. He wanted to tell him more, Dr. K and Ziggy were his friends too, but right now, he just didn't know what, if anything the circumstances around their disappearance meant. Gemma stepped back to the bench, patting his back gently.

"Let's get back to work." She whispered to him softly. "We'll find out what happened."

In the future, Dr. K and Ziggy were bundled rather less than ceremoniously along, only to finally be released when they apparently reached their destination. They heard a heavy metal blast door slamming shut behind them, at which their blindfolds were removed.

"OK, we're friends here." Ziggy complained. "We..."

"That remains to be seen sunshine!" Flynn interrupted him, levelling his weapon at him to make a point. "Now, we want to know who you are and what you're doing wandering around in the war zone without even a single weapon between you!"

"We didn't know we were coming into a war zone." Dr. K told him. She looked around at the installation. It was a little more Spartan. Men were sitting around, cleaning and preparing weapons, tending to injuries, and spending time with the few families that were there. "We don't know how we got here, but it certainly wasn't intended."

"What the hell happened?" Ziggy interrupted her. Dr. K couldn't believe he had blurted out a question like that. Obviously no one seemed to recognise them. Flynn looked at him a little bemused.

"I'm trying really hard to decide if you're a liar or an idiot, but I'll bite. I'll tell you if you can explain one thing." He replied, grabbing Ziggy by the jacket and yanking him forward. "Where did you get these clothes? I've only seen a uniform like this, or like the one the lass is wearing years ago."

"We recreated these outfits from scraps we've found." Dr. K blurted out. "We know the legend of the RPM Rangers and wanted to emulate them. We've become lost."

Flynn didn't look convinced, so he looked to the other side of them. Craning her neck around, she saw he was looking to a slightly greying, brown haired woman, who was wearing glasses. As she looked back to Flynn and shrugged, Dr. K realised it was Sam. She was pleased to know that at least that hadn't changed in this time. It seemed they were still married.

"So what happened?" Dr. K asked him. "If Venjix was destroyed, what happened to the dome? Who are those guys in the blue suits?"

"What happened to the other Rangers?" Ziggy asked him. Flynn looked like Ziggy had just slapped him across the face. It seemed he had hit a nerve.

"The Rangers are gone, a distant memory!" He snapped at them in disgust. Sam flinched a little as his temper got the better of him and he kicked a work bench over hard. "I'm the only one left! The others are gone and are never coming back and it's all because of him! They were hunted down and destroyed by one of their own!"

Dr. K and Ziggy just stared at each other, horrified by what they had heard. It seemed the world had gone to hell. The very people they had struggled so hard to protect were fighting each other over what was left of the city, and all of this had happened without Venjix. Apparently all of this was down to one of them.

Back at the Garage in the present, Gem picked up a small hand held device and approached Scott nervously. The Red Ranger got up and looked at him, trying to maintain his patience.

"Please tell me you have something." Scott said in a low, slightly menacing voice. Gem knew that he didn't mean to blame him. He hadn't done anything to cause this, but Scott's frustration at losing Dr. K was beginning to wear on his patience.

"I did some small scale testing with the weapon. I've recreated the weapon, and I've tapped into the Series Green teleportation ability to recreate the circumstances of the attack." Gem informed him. "I tried it on an apple."

"So what did you find?" Scott asked him. Gem checked the device in his hand.

"If my theory is correct..."

At that, an apple materialised on the table. Gem shrugged.

"I guess I was out by a couple of seconds." He stated. Scott shook his head.

"What was that?" The Red Ranger asked him. "You just teleported..."

"I teleported it two minutes ago." Gem interrupted him. "I told you that the weapon speeds up the movement of atoms right?" He asked him. Scott nodded. "Well that should have caused the atoms to fly apart, but when Ziggy teleports, his atoms already split, they're just contained within an energy field which stops them flying off and reconstitutes them at his target location."

"So where is he?" Scott asked. Gem picked up the apple, handing it to him.

"When he teleports, he doesn't re-appear instantaneously. He takes a fraction of a second to re-assemble." He explained. "What happened here is because the movement of atoms was speeded up, it took longer to re-assemble them."

"So where are they?" Scott asked again.

"You mean when are they." Gem corrected him. "I ran the weapon at only a fraction of its power, so it only speeded up the atoms a little, leading to the two minute time gap."

"So how long do we have to wait?" Scott asked him. Gem showed him his scanner.

"If my calculations are correct, they'll have appeared about 30 years in the future." Gem told him.


	3. A Bleak Future

Dr. K and Ziggy were taken from the main room of Flynn's bunker after their somewhat less than enlightening interrogation. They weren't willing to divulge their names or identities, not least since they were sure no one would believe them since it was now 30 years into their future and as far as they were aware most thought they were dead. Of course not even divulging this information, it wasn't surprising their saviours/new captors didn't see fit to trust them. They were both shoved roughly into a non-descript concrete room with no windows and only a single light. Once they were inside, the door was closed behind them, and locked. Ziggy looked around at the room.

"Well this is hospitality." He said sarcastically.

"Ziggy try to keep your mind on the problem at hand." Dr. K muttered as she pulled out her tiny screwdriver again and tried to work the lock on her restraints, though finding it difficult to reach since her hands were bound. "We need to get out of here."

"Even if we do, what good would it do?" Ziggy asked her. "We're 30 years into the future, and in case you haven't noticed, the only guy we've met that we recognise has kin of lost the plot."

"He's obviously traumatised by this war." Dr. K reminded him, struggling with her bonds. If we don't get out of here, then we can't try to find a way back and then none of this is going to matter…damn it!"

Ziggy watched as she held a finger in her mouth, a little blood trickling down her hand. Not being able to reach the lock securely, she had slipped with the screwdriver and cut herself. Ziggy came over to her and turned her to face him.

"What do you mean by that?" Ziggy asked her. She looked into his eyes.

"Us being in this time is a paradox. We left before the final assault against Venjix." She reminded him. "If we don't go back and play our part in the battle, then time will re-align without us there. We might lose, and then none of this would exist."

"So why are we here now?" Ziggy asked her, extending a hand. She handed him the screwdriver, at which he started working on her restraints.

"Obviously it is possible for us to go back since, at the moment, time hasn't shifted to correct itself." She informed him. She looked down in shock as the restraints snapped open and fell away from her wrists. "How did you do that?"

"Not exactly my first time in handcuffs remember?" He asked her. Dr. K took the screwdriver back and started picking the lock on Ziggy's restraints. "Well I guess we need to find how we can get back. After a little homework of course."

"What homework?" Dr. K asked him. As his hands were released, Ziggy just looked at her in disbelief.

"Is this a future you want?" He asked her. "Whatever happened, it seemed to happen round about the time of the final battle. If we can jut find out what it was and change it, then none of this will ever happen."

"What if it doesn't change anything for the better?" Dr. K asked him. "I'm sure plenty of people would have liked to go back and stop things like World War II, but…"

"How can things honestly be any worse?" Ziggy asked her. Venjix is gone, but because of whatever happened, the humans that are left are wiping each other out."

"You're right about that much." A voice came from the door. Dr. K and Ziggy looked up to see Sam standing there. She looked very different than they remembered, but not so different they couldn't recognise her. Her hair was greying, unsurprisingly since she was now into her fifties. She was wearing thick, oft-repaired glasses, and she was a little hunched and moved a little gingerly, favouring her right hip. "Come with me. I'll explain everything."

As they conceded that they didn't have any other options and followed her, being careful to avoid guards, Ziggy approached her and tapped her shoulder.

"Why are you helping us?" He asked her. "Isn't your husband the one…?"

"We're only married on paper Ziggy." She told them sadly. "He isn't the same man I fell in love with. The war's taken so much from us, so much from him, that I can't even recognise him anymore. He can't even see that he's turning into what he hates the most."

"You know my name?" He asked her in surprise. "You recognise us?"

"My eyesight isn't that bad." She replied a little coldly. "My husband had trouble recognising his own kids at times. All the head trauma has done some strange things to his mind."

"Had?" Dr. K asked. "You said he HAD trouble recognising your own kids."

"We lost our son to the war." She informed them. "Our daughters we lost to sickness. It was only flu, but we had no access to medical supplies."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Dr. K told her. Sam nodded in appreciation, though it saddened Dr. K to see that she wasn't crying. Obviously her children's deaths had happened awhile ago, but it was like everything was so raw, loss was so common in this time that it seemed almost commonplace.

"So if you know who we are, why didn't you say anything before?" Ziggy asked her. "Why are you helping us in secret?"

"If Flynn knew who you were, he'd have killed you both on the spot." She told him. "You remember the GEARS, those guys in blue suits from before?"

"Yeah?" Ziggy asked a little puzzled.

"The technology in their suits is what gives them their combat abilities and makes them so deadly. We can take them down if we ambush them about ten to one, but there are thousands of them. Those that refuse to live under their rule get hunted down like animals." She told them. "Dr. K created the technology that made them."

"Why?" Dr. K asked her. "I would never knowingly…"

"You didn't do it by choice." Sam interrupted her as she took out a security card, accessing a door marked "memorial room." She guided them inside, closed the door and switched on the lights. It was a museum of sorts dedicated to the history of the war, full of artefacts and pictures. Dr. K felt a shudder as they walked past the first picture, one of Summer trimmed in black ribbon, and marked with the date of her death. It was only a few months after she had been married, so she was easily recognisable. "Ziggy made you do it. He kidnapped you and forced you to create weapons for him. He's the one that caused all of this."

Ziggy and Dr. K looked at her in amazement, Ziggy even having a nervous disbelieving laugh as he heard this.

"Me?" He asked her incredulously. "Why on earth would I do that?"

"Because you blamed them for your loss." Sam explained, pointing to a glass case. Ziggy's lip quivered as he approached it, his eyes beginning to tear up. He shook his head slowly, hoping it wasn't true. "Most of us lost something that day. The battle didn't go as expected. You lost more than most."

As he finally got to the case, he sank to his knees weeping. It contained a small grave marker salvaged from a grave in the city, bearing the name Alexander Frederick Grover.

In the present day, Hicks was woken up by a phone call. He looked around his apartment curiously. He had grown somewhat used to long lies on his leave, and he was not sure what time it was. Reaching to his alarm clock, he saw that it was a little after mid day. Pressing the button, it showed him the date.

"I guess the days all kind of blur into one after a while." He said with a shrug as he picked up the phone. He was sure he had missed a day, but he thought he was likely just being paranoid. Answering the phone, he found Colonel Truman on the other end.

"Sorry to disturb you Hicks, I know you're not due back yet, but I was hoping you'd come back a little early." He told his aide-de-camp. "We have a big investigation to cover, and with Vasquez and her team concentrating on the asylum…"

"What investigation?" Hicks asked him. The Colonel paused for a minute.

"Father Larry was murdered." Colonel Truman informed him. Hicks couldn't believe what he was hearing. Who could have killed Father Larry? Why would they?

"Just give me a minute to get dressed." Hicks told him. "I'll be there in about half an hour."

"I'll send a car." The Colonel answered. "Thanks Hicks, I could do with a good man."

As Hicks hung up, he noticed a message on his answering machine. Pressing the button, he heard Gemma's message, apologising for not coming over. What bothered him though, was the date of the message. It was the day before. He couldn't remember getting that message. Indeed, he couldn't even remember that day. How was it possible to not remember what he did for an entire day?

In the memorial room in the future, Dr. K comforted Ziggy after finding out what had happened. He looked up to Sam, finally finding the strength to force out a barely audible, cracking voice to ask the question she knew he would.

"Why?"

"The Second Battle of Corinth started early in the day. You and the Rangers were getting ready to go out and sack his palace. Venjix beat you to the punch though. He sent an army of Grinders, and he attacked the city himself, forcing the military and as many able-bodied citizens as he could find to deal with the invasion while you dealt with Venjix." She began. "Not long into the battle, we were taking heavy casualties. Summer left the Zord to save a family from a stray blast. She paid with her life."

"That sounds like something she'd do." Dr. K commented as she held Ziggy.

"Dillon in his despair sacrificed himself, giving the Rangers the opportunity they needed to activate their ultimate weapon. They destroyed him, but not before he fired off one last blast and destroyed the garage. Tenaya and Dr. K got out, but Alex never made it. There was noting they could do for him."

"I can't believe we were caught flat-footed like that." Dr. K gasped. "I've considered the plan so many times…"

Ziggy couldn't come to terms with Alex's death." Sam continued. "He blamed you for creating Venjix in the first place. He blamed Scott for failing to lead the team, but most of all he blamed Tenaya for not protecting him. It was too much for her to take, and her depression returned, worse than before. She eventually couldn't live with the fact he blamed her and she killed herself. Ziggy left the team after that. None of you saw or heard from him again for three years."

"I can't believe any of this." Ziggy whimpered as he sat on the floor, hugging his knees to his chest. "What happened?"

"The straw that broke the camel's back was when Dr. K and Scott got married." Sam informed him. "When the newspapers reported that the former Red Ranger and Dr. K were getting married and expecting their first child, I guess Ziggy felt like it was a kick in the gut. He broke several members of the Scorpion Cartel out of prison and started a campaign of attacks. He had Marcus and Colonel Truman murdered while he saw to Scott himself. He murdered him in his home in front of you. You miscarried shortly afterwards."

Dr. K looked to Ziggy who by now looked completely vacant. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"How are you?" She asked him.

"I'm just finding out I was responsible for murdering all of my friends and ending the world! How do you think I feel?" He asked her in exasperation, wiping away some tears.

"Don't you think you're asking the wrong person?" She asked him in response. Ziggy had to concede that if anyone knew what that would be like, it would be her.

"He took Dr. K prisoner and forced her to fuse all the Ranger rigs into one all powerful battle suit for his exclusive use." Sam informed them. "He then made you create the battle suits for his soldiers. He took over the city and declared that all had to serve him unswervingly and only his militia were permitted weapons. He declared no one would lose family to senseless war again by uniting into one society."

"A dictatorship," Dr. K commented, "the most absolute and safest form of regime."

"The rest of the Rangers organised a rebellion and fought back, but the citizens are no match for his fire power." Sam told her. "Over 25 years later, we're still fighting, those of us who are left anyway."

"So why are you telling us all of this?" Dr. K asked her.

"If anyone is going to have the kind of technology that will be needed to reverse what happened and send you back it'll be Dr. K." Sam replied. "This time's Dr. K I mean."

"She's…I mean…I'm still alive?" Dr. K asked her. Sam nodded.

"Ziggy's kept you prisoner all this time and forced you to manufacture his weapons." Sam informed her. "If you can go back, then with this knowledge, you can stop any of this from happening."

"I have another suggestion." They heard a thickly accented voice from the door. They looked up in horror to see Flynn standing there, pointing his blaster arm at them. "If I blow both of you to kingdom come now, then you'll never exist to cause any of this!"

Back in the present, Hicks arrived at the Chapel with Colonel Truman to find a team already sifting through the evidence. Sam was there under protest since it was technically her honeymoon, though since Flynn and the others wee trying to figure out how to bring Dr. K and Ziggy back, she wasn't going to get to spend any time with him anyway. Corporal Hicks heard a crunch underfoot and looked down to see he'd accidentally stepped in a piece of stained glass.

"Please stop destroying my crime scene." Sam grumbled as she got up. She approached them slowly, taking off her gloves.

"It's only glass." He commented. Sam rolled her eyes.

"Anyone with that glass in their shoes could be linked to the crime scene." She snapped grumpily. "If you arrest someone, they can say glass got into their apartment or carpet or clothes from your shoes! You've just contaminated evidence!"

"I'll make sure I turn them in at the door." He replied sheepishly. Colonel Truman just turned to him and shook his head.

"Don't worry about it Hicks, you're just out of practice." He reminded him, before turning back to Sam. "I understand you being upset. He did only marry you a couple of days ago."

"This just doesn't make any sense. He'd never hurt anyone." Sam lamented, feeling a little dejected. She'd had a number of strange encounters with the old minister, and had a little trouble accepting his gift, or what he had done to help her. He had given her back her life when he testified on her behalf. He had done nothing but help her and been repaid with distrust. She would never have a chance to repay his kindness. "I can't figure out why he'd be a threat to anybody."

"What can you tell us for sure?" Colonel Truman asked her. Sam gestured them to follow her, taking them to where his body lay, covered by a white sheet where it had landed. As she pulled back the sheet, Colonel Truman looked like he was going to be sick. His arms, legs and back were all bent unnaturally and hung limply on the debris, many of his bones shattered. His face, aside from a few grazes and bruises, looked remarkably undamaged, and almost peaceful. It was as though he knew his fate, and had simply accepted it. Hicks shook off a headache, trying to compose himself as the image seemed to strike something of a cord with him, almost as though he had seen it before.

"Cause of death was a sharp twist of the head, breaking his neck." Sam began to explain as calmly as she could, still upset over his death herself.

"That's a military technique." Colonel Truman remarked.

"The thing is the damage was far more extensive. The vertebrae weren't just broken, they shattered." She told them. "The disks are misaligned; whoever did this was strong enough to almost literally rip his head off."

"What about this damage?" Hicks asked her, gesturing to the destruction. "Do you think that has any significance?"

"The pew was ripped up and thrown through the lectern. I'm guessing when Father Larry tried to defend himself with his blaster." She replied. "Most of his cuts are pre-mortem, which fits with the flying debris. But the other bone breaks show little or no bruising, suggesting it was post-mortem."

"Someone did that to him after he died?" Colonel Truman asked her incredulously. "Why?"

"I don't know, but it fits with the damage to the crucifix up there." She replied, pointing almost fifteen feet up the wall. "Someone or something threw him hard enough to do that with one impact. There's no evidence of repeated assaults."

"There's no way someone could have done that." Hicks said with a look of concern on his face. "He has to weigh about 170, maybe 180."

"No one human could have done it." Sam whispered, gesturing them in closer, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "There were no reports of an attack bot in the city. I think this was a hybrid."

"Another one?" Colonel Truman asked. "I thought they were destroyed!"

"We have no idea how many Venjix made." Sam told him regretfully.

"That still doesn't explain why Venjix would want him dead." Colonel Truman mused. "Why kill a minister?"

In the future, Ziggy and Dr. K started to pace around the room as Flynn kept his weapon trained on them, following their every move.

"Flynn, listen to me…"

"Why should I listen to you Sam?" He snarled, never taking his eye off them for a minute. "You were willing to pass up the one chance I had to destroy this mass murdering piece of shite!"

"I haven't…"

"Don't talk to me!" Flynn interrupted Ziggy as he began. "I watched what you became. I watched and I saw every life you ruined!"

"You're talking about condemning us for things we haven't even done yet!" Dr. K tried to reason with him. "You're talking about things we might never even do!"

"Not if I can help it!" He hissed. Sam threw herself between them, ruining his aim.

"You're right Flynn, this might be a chance for us to stop all of this happening, but not like this!" She begged him. "I lost just as much as you."

"That butcher made me watch while he murdered my son!" Flynn reminded her. "You didn't hear Callum screaming as he…"

"No, I just had to watch as our daughters suffered and died of flu!" She snapped back at him. She approached him slowly, putting her hand on the gun. "Please, we've al lost so much, but killing them won't change things for the better."

"But…"

"We haven't yet fought the last battle with Venjix in our time." Dr. K explained. "If we don't go back, then you are right, this future might never exist, but neither might any other."

"If they go back, they can set things right." Sam pleaded with him, gently pushing the gun down as she approached her husband. "I hate what you've become, what we've become. Now we have a chance, but only if you don't do this."

Flynn glared at Ziggy, burning into him with his one remaining eye. Ziggy could feel the intensity of the hatred from him. It was unlike anything he had ever felt from him. Flynn was indeed different. The jovial, light-hearted man he remembered was long since gone. He finally relaxed.

"So what do you propose we do?" He asked them.

"Apparently if the technology needed to send us home exists in this time, it will be with myself and Ziggy." She told him. "We have to go and find the technology."

"Wait, are you serious?" Flynn asked her. "That place has to be crawling with his guys! It's not like we can just walk in there."

"Maybe we can just sneak into Dr. K's lab." Ziggy suggested. Dr. K shook her head.

"I figured out why your morpher doesn't work here." She told him. "You say Ziggy…your time's Ziggy…made me form one rig from all the Ranger technology?"

"Aye, the battle suit he wears." Flynn replied. "It's indestructible…"

"I'm guessing he never de-activates it." She replied. "Since the green spectrum of the bio field is already being tapped, you cannot activate your morpher. Your ability to teleport was part of the accident that sent us here."

"So what are you saying?" Ziggy asked her.

"I'm saying we have to convince your other self to shut down his rig." She informed them.

"Convince him?" Flynn scoffed as he shook his head in disbelief. He tapped his cannon arm to his bionic leg. "The last time I tried to 'convince' him of anything, it quite literally cost me an arm and a leg. If we go three…"

"If we don't, then we can't go home and one way or another this time will cease to exist." Dr. K reminded him. "It's our only hope."

"If we don't do this, all of this will be for nothing anyway." Sam pleaded with him, drawing closer. "Please."

"I guess we're off to see the wizard!" Flynn sighed, hefting his cannon arm up to rest on his shoulder. "He's based in the old Central Command building. Let's go."


	4. Grover

In the present, Gem and Gemma were with the other Rangers, having somewhat resigned themselves to the fact that there was nothing they could do to bring Dr. K and Ziggy back. They didn't have the means to re-create the attack which sent them into the future, and even if they did, they weren't sure how much good it would do.

Gem sat, playing with a soldering iron dejectedly, miserable at his failure to recover his friends. Summer came over to him, putting an arm around him in a comforting gesture.

"How are you doing?" She asked him quietly. Gem just looked up, seeing Tenaya walking with Alex, humming him a lullaby, while Scott sat by the computers, looking at them thoughtfully. Summer squeezed him a little. "You shouldn't let what they said upset you. They didn't mean anything by it; they know it isn't your fault. They're just worried."

"I don't know what to do." He whimpered a little, causing Summer to feel badly for him. Because of his nature, Gem, like his sister, took things to heart a lot more easily than others. She was sure she had seen him struggling to keep from crying when Scott and Tenaya yelled at him. She knew that he had done everything he could to figure out what had happened; he just knew that from this end, there was nothing he could do to help them.

"There's nothing you can do." Summer reminded him sympathetically. "Dr. K's the smartest person...possibly ever. If there is a way to reverse this, I'm sure she'll find it."

The phone rang, and Scott picked it up, taking the call.

"Sam, are you calling for Flynn, I'll just..." His words tailed off as she started to relay the news of Father Larry's murder to him. Scott just stood with his mouth hanging open, and listened intently. "Are you sure? Sorry...I'll hand you over to him."

He handed the phone to Flynn. Sam had been badly upset by the murder and needed him right now. Flynn took the phone and went to talk with his wife while Scott paced the room.

"That was Sam. They just found Father Larry's body." He informed them. Everyone looked completely at a loss for words. It had only been a couple of days since he had performed the wedding ceremony. "Sam said that all the evidence points to it being a hybrid."

"A hybrid?" Dillon asked him. "Tenaya and I haven't left here all day, and Marcus is in the Asylum. That means..."

"What we feared when the other hybrid framed Gem is true. There are more hybrids in the city." He told them. "We don't know how many, or who they are."

"They could be anybody." Summer added, voicing everyone's fears. "What if they've got key positions? What if they have hybrids in the water treatment plant, or the air circulation plant...?"

"We all know how bad this could be." Scott interrupted her, looking around the Rangers. "If Venjix still has infiltrators in the city, there's no telling what he could have them do."

"Why would he kill Father Larry?" Dillon asked him. "What does Venjix have to gain by that?"

"Well that's just one of many questions we need to answer, and soon." Scott shot back. "This has alerted us to the fact other infiltrators are here. If Venjix has done that, then we can presume that they'll be used to make a move sometime soon."

"So what do we do?" Dillon quizzed him a little sarcastically. "I don't know about you but I'm not keen on the plan of waiting until they make a move to know who's a hybrid and who isn't."

"Maybe there's something in Dr. K's computer." Gem suggested, rushing over. "After last time I'm sure she'd have considered the possibility we'd need to scan for more infiltrators."

He opened her computer and typed in her password, only to look puzzled as it flashed up a message telling him he had been denied access, and informing him he had only eight attempts left to guess it."

"I don't understand, she told me her password, it's always been butterfly!" He stammered as the others crowded around him.

"Butterfly?" Dillon asked him disbelievingly. "Her password was butterfly?"

"She chased a butterfly from her lab past a window, that's how she found out we weren't really allergic to sunlight." Gem explained. "She must have changed it recently, but she hasn't told me what it is!"

"Let me try." Summer told them, typing in another word. She tried Scott. "Denied."

"Come on guys, think!" Scott stated. "What could she have picked?"

In the future, Ziggy and Dr. K followed Flynn on their three-man mission towards the old Central Command building. Flynn had scavenged some simple, woollen travelling cloaks with hoods to conceal their identities as best he could. As they made their way through the city, Dr. K and Ziggy looked around at the dirty, malnourished, pathetic people scrambling over the ruins looking for anything they could find. Some were erecting crude shelters and building fires to keep the worst of the elements at bay during the night.

"Those who refuse to bow to Grover's will are forced to live how they can out here." Flynn informed them as they headed along the broken remains of a main street. Ziggy felt another shudder down his spine as he watched the homeless and desperate eke out a miserable existence. "The price of being able to have a choice in your life is the possibility of starving to death."

"What happened to the sky?" Dr. K asked him, looking up to the thick, black clouds, blocking out almost any form of natural light. "Why is it like that?"

"Between the factories inside Grover's territory and a lot of crude generators out here there's been a lot of pollution." Flynn informed them. "Most of us haven't seen a blue sky in over a decade."

As they got closer, a wall became visible, almost 50 feet in height, and made of large, disjointed pieces of salvaged metal welded together. The mast of the Central Command building could be seen rising above it, but the head, where the main complex was housed, was blanketed by the fumes.

"He had his men erect this wall around his territory." Flynn explained. "There's only one gate to allow his patrols to get in and out on salvage runs. It's guarded at all times by GEARS."

"What are GEARS?" Dr. K asked him. "What are they exactly?"

"Genetic Enhancement Armoured Rigs." Flynn told her. "Those suits mechanically enhance the genetic potential of the wearer, heightening their natural attributes beyond their natural limits. It's also heavily armoured and provides some protection against toxins and radiation."

"Not that I'm planning on going up against one of them, not having seen what they can do and all, but how exactly do you take them down?" Ziggy asked him. "I mean we might run into one or two of them."

"The suit doesn't offer protection to the head." Flynn said flatly. "Blow their brains out, they die just like everyone else."

"What else?" Dr. K asked him. Flynn shrugged.

"I guess you could empty about eight ammo clips into their bodies." He suggested.

"Well there's a comforting thought." Ziggy replied. "So what do you suggest?"

Flynn took a blaster off his shoulder harness, handing it to Ziggy, before handing a hand blaster to Dr. K.

"Don't miss." He replied as they rounded another pile of wreckage, seeing two GEARS standing guard.

"If we take them out, we might be able get inside." He told them, pulling back his cloak and readying his blaster arm.

"Are you sure there isn't any other way?" Ziggy asked him.

"If there was, do you think anyone would live out here?" He asked sarcastically. He took careful aim, hitting the first of them in the head, taking him down with ease. They broke cover, rushing the second as he started to return fire. Ziggy managed to score a couple of hits to his chest, which knocked him backwards into the wall, though he recovered quickly. Flynn though had closed in enough that his shot found its mark.

"I told you to go for the head!" Flynn snapped at Ziggy.

"Well sorry for not being exactly enthusiastic about the plan of just rushing in, killing anything that moves!" He responded angrily. "They're humans!"

"Exactly, they're not like hybrids, they aren't victims, they CHOSE to serve Grover." Flynn reminded him. "They volunteered to wear those suits. They're as bloodthirsty as he is!"

With that, they made their way inside as discreetly as they could. The guards on the other side were facing away from them, but as Flynn was about to act, Ziggy grabbed his arm. He put a finger to his lips to indicate that they should be quiet, before pointing to a nearby manhole cover. Flynn didn't look impressed by the plan, but after giving the GEARS one more glance, he obviously saw the wisdom in confronting as few of them as possible and followed.

Ziggy slipped off the manhole cover, helping Dr. K into the sewer, followed closely by Flynn. As he climbed down, he made sure he covered the hole, ensuring their entry had gone unnoticed.

"I don't think we were seen." Ziggy told them. "Which way now?"

"Central Command is this way." Dr. K told them. "Unless the sewers have changed in the last 30 years."

Back in the present, Kilobyte was working on another project in Venjix's palace when Crunch came into the room.

"I hope you're manufacturer's warranty isn't expired." He screeched as he came to the work bench. "Venjix found out you activated one of the sleepers without his permission. You know the plan!"

"It was to preserve the plan that I did it." Kilobyte said in a slightly arrogant tone. "I don't expect a simpleton like yourself to understand the complexities of such an operation, but one of my sleepers heard something about humans with empathic abilities. I didn't want to risk that they could discover our sleepers could I?"

"You think that's possible?" Crunch asked him. Kilobyte just showed him footage taken by some of Hicks' implants of the confrontation with Father Larry.

"As you can see, he knew Hicks' intentions, and he knew about his true nature." Kilobyte responded casually. "Of course that doesn't matter now does it?"

"There is one more though is there not?" Venjix asked as he strode into the room. Kilobyte turned and bowed to his master.

"She is in the Asylum under the care of D46." He replied. "She is, as far as we know, the only one left."

"D46 complicates matters." Venjix replied. "Do we have any agents there?"

"Vasquez was assigned to hire new security staff." Kilobyte informed him. "She can..."

"She is in far too vital a position to risk exposing." Venjix cut him off. "She and Hicks have access to the command building. Have her send a couple of our drones their way instead."

"I'll have that done right away." Kilobyte replied, activating the signal.

Vasquez was sitting in an easy-chair in her apartment, stroking a curled up, purring Elwood as she looked over a couple of files. He got up, looked at her, and then hopped off her lap. Her eyes flashed red, and she got up from her chair, making her way to the phone.

In the future, Flynn got out of the sewers first, covering the back alley across the street from the Command Building and covered it with his blaster. Dr. K and Ziggy followed him.

"Alright, we're here." Ziggy stated, checking for guards, and finding no shortage of GEARS patrolling the building. He could guess there were more inside. "Where is Dr. K?"

"I'd imagine I'd be in the main lab." Dr. K replied with a small shrug. "I have an idea."

"I kind of hoped you would." Ziggy said with a grin.

"Well I did design this entire complex, so if you follow me, I'm sure we'll get in unnoticed." She told them.

Up in the lab in Central Command, the older Dr. K was working on another weapon when an alarm tripped. She was confined to an electric wheelchair, the result of years of torture and abuse at the hands of her sadistic former Ranger. Her hair was completely white, and had now grown well past her shoulders, such matters as grooming being somewhat secondary now. Her skin was wrinkled, and aged far beyond her years as a result of her hopeless imprisonment.

She checked the monitors finding something curious. She saw a party of three intruders entering through a hidden access hatch outside the building. She had built it into the design all those years ago as a fail-safe in case the base was ever captured and needed to be liberated, but as far as she knew, she was the only one that knew about it.

Checking the footage, she had to pause it in disbelief. Flynn had somehow found out about this access. She enhanced the image and was stunned to see herself, considerably younger. She had been working on a principal that it might be possible to transfer matter back through time to send a message to the Rangers in the past, but seeing herself in the future, she knew that it was possible, or at very least close. Her past self had obviously not realised that she had updated the security within the last 30 years. Silencing the alarm and de-activating surveillance to the passageway, she turned back to her work just in time as a guard approached her.

"There was an alarm." He told her. "Where?"

"I already checked it, it was merely a rat." She lied to her captor with the same weak whisper she was forced to use now due to her multitude of health problems stemming from her mistreatment. "The vermin control system will take care of it."

The guard looked at her suspiciously, before walking away. Dr. K was thankful that they were generally arrogant and foolish enough not to press matters too much when she explained something. They had resigned themselves to the fact they usually didn't understand much of what she said anyway, and so they stopped listening. It seemed that in this instance that might have been a good thing.

In the present, Cassandra was sitting, watching some TV in the recreation lounge with Marcus when there was a knock at the door. He saw four soldiers in the doorway.

"Vasquez sent us. She said that it's alright to release Cassandra into Father Larry's care." One of them began as Marcus looked at him a little uncertain as Cassandra turned to see them. She was still nervous about being around others.

"I only discuss matters of patients with people I trust." Marcus told them. "Come back with Colonel Truman or..."

"You don't need to worry; we have orders personally signed by Vasquez." He continued, opening the door and stepping into the room. Cassandra closed her eyes, screwing them shut and started to rub the sides of her head. "She couldn't be here in person..."

"Then Cassandra goes nowhere." Marcus interrupted him sharply, getting to his feet. "Colonel Truman knows the score."

"Marcus...I feel ill..." Cassandra told him. He turned to see her, and immediately went to her side comforting her as much as he could. She looked like her head was caught in a vice, and her rapid, pained gasps left him in little doubt something was wrong. "I feel it again, but this time it's worse...something's wrong..."

Marcus turned back to the soldiers, seeing all four of them were in the room.

"Look, she's obviously not comfortable." Marcus told them. "If you come back..."

"We have medication. We'll take care of her." The soldier assured him. As he reached forward, taking Cassandra by the wrist, her gift suddenly exploded into life. She thrashed wildly, desperate to get away from him and let out a hellish scream that could be heard throughout the entire building.

"That's it; you're not taking her..."

Marcus was cut off as one of the soldiers kicked him in the chest and sent him flying across the room, hitting the opposite wall so hard that dust fell from the ceiling. Marcus felt incredible pain from the blow. Now he knew why Cassandra was so scared. Her gift had picked up the fact that these men were not human.

As they tried to leave, Marcus threw the couch over them, ensuring he missed Cassandra, and landed, blocking the doorway. They turned in time to see him bellowing a savage cry as he attacked.

In the future, Dr. K, Ziggy and Flynn turned a corner, finding themselves standing before a vent. They watched for a while as a GEAR paced back and forward, checking on things. Satisfying himself with this particular sweep, he left the room. As soon as he'd gone, they opened the grate, crawling into the lab.

"I seem to remember moving faster." The future Dr. K commented. "While I still had the use of my legs of course."

"Sorry to disappoint...me." Dr. K said, her eyebrows meeting in a mixture of confusion at the fact they had been detected, and also the bizarre nature of addressing herself. "How...?"

"When have we ever been able to leave a project for 30 years without upgrading it?" Her future self asked.

"I don't know, I've not reached 30 yet." She answered. "Though I do see your point. I guess you updated security."

"Do not worry; I kept you off the grid from the guards." She replied. "Whether or not His Lordship has seen you is another matter. Grover's is the only system I have no access to."

"So where is he?" Ziggy asked.

"He's at the top, in Colonel Truman's old headquarters." She answered him matter-of-factly. The present Dr. K saw a device on the table and inspected it closely.

"This looks like the weapon Kilobyte had." She stated. "This looks like the weapon that sent us here."

"It's designed to accelerate the particles until they vibrate apart." The future Dr. K told her.

"Of course! When Ziggy teleported us, the energy stream kept the atoms from spreading apart, so instead of the teleportation only lasting a second, it lasted 30 years!"

"So how does this help?" Ziggy asked her.

"Just give me a little time to figure it out. I'm pretty sure I can get it to reverse the process." She told him. "Well, both of me might."

"I'm getting out of here before I get too confused." Ziggy responded, looking between both Dr. Ks. "We still need to get Grover to shut down that battle suit if I'm going to use my morpher."

"Well that's one idea." They heard a loud, booming voice announcing with a loud, evil laugh. Turning around, they saw him enter. Obviously much had changed about him in the years that followed. Ziggy's face was much the same, though his hair was longer, and wilder than before. His eyes lacked any compassion or reason, and his usual cheerful, friendly grin was replaced by a sick twisted smirk. He was now close to eight feet tall, and heavily muscled. The battle suit was a form fitting affair, though unlike the Ranger suits, it was constantly shifting between all the old Ranger colours. "Though if you think I'll just let you go back and destroy me and everything I've worked for, you must be insane."

"What the..."

"I made some improvements." The future Dr. K pre-empted his question. "His body has been genetically enhanced, and the battle suit is indestructible."

"Uh, Docs, you might want to put a little hurry on that device." Ziggy told them. "Listen...uh...me, I know this is..."

Ziggy was kicked across the room by a blast of Summer's Chi Energy Blast from the suit's hand.

"I can't kill you, but that doesn't mean I can't hurt you." He replied. "I guess you've come back to let me take the rest of your body parts Flynn."

"Let's see how indestructible you are!" He screamed, throwing himself at him. Ziggy got up and looked to the two Dr. Ks, indicating he was alright, and waving them back to their project.

"Just get that thing ready, I'll deal with myself!" He told them, getting to his feet. "I just have no idea how."


	5. Back to the Present

Marcus ripped Cassandra away from the Hybrid holding her, before smashing him into the wall, only to be thrown backwards by the other three. Cassandra ran into the corner of the room and huddled there, hiding and clutching her head and screaming loudly, between a combination of terror at her predicament, and the painful assault of all the thoughts and emotions wracking her brain. Marcus stood between her and the attackers sizing them up. All four of them were trained soldiers, and also seemed to be easily as powerful as him.

"You can't win D46!" One of them hissed. "We only want the girl."

"You aren't the first person to say something like that to me." Marcus responded as he grabbed a chair. "She's in my care, and I never let anyone in my care come to harm. The only way you get to her is through me."

"That's your choice D46!" He replied, surging forward. Marcus snapped off a leg from the chair, smashing the rest of it into his face, before driving the sharp stake into his neck, taking out the jugular vein. He hated the thought of killing someone who may not be in control of his actions, but with four of them attacking him, he didn't have a choice in the matter. He couldn't hope to defeat all of them unless he started cutting down their numbers. The hybrid fell to the floor, blood spraying win a wide arc from his neck, splattering everywhere. Marcus rushed forward to tackle the next.

In the future, Ziggy was sent flying as his future self hit him with Scott's burst attack. He lay on the floor, clutching his ribs as his blaster slid across the floor.

"Ziggy!" The young Dr. K screeched, seeing him writhing on the floor. Her future self grabbed her arm, pulling her back to the bench.

"He's alive, please, we need to get this!" She reminded her. "We need to finish this!"

"No worries, I'll buy you time!" Flynn called out, pulling the power cell out of his cannon arm. He replaced it with one that was several times larger, and had warning markings on it. He took aim, firing it towards Grover's head.

Grover saw the blast in time, calling forth a helmet just in time to save him, but the shot staggered him. Flynn rushed in, firing a couple more shots, continuing to stagger him until he hit the wall.

As the blaster fired its fifth and final supercharged round, he rushed the stunned Grover, slamming his weapon into him wherever he could. Grover caught it in his right hand and started to laugh.

"Is that the best you've got Flynn?" He taunted him. "I don't know why you've been such a problem for me. I should have let you in here years ago."

"You let us in?" Flynn asked him. Ziggy sneered at him as he crushed it oblivion, tearing it from his arm, leaving only a stump.

"I knew the minute you used that service hatch!" He told them. "How many times will I get the chance to crush the leader of the rebellion personally?"

He swung Flynn into the wall, shattering his spine with a sickening crunch. He then turned him to face the others.

"Now see what awaits anyone who ruins my plans!" He shrieked, clamping his hands either side of Flynn's skill. The former Blue Ranger screamed in agony as he started to squeeze. "Say hello to Callum for me!"

"Noooo!" Ziggy screamed, only able to watch in horror as Grover crushed his skull, killing him instantly. Flynn's body fell to the ground, unmoving. Ziggy got to his feet, lifting up his blaster while still clutching his ribs. "You killed him!"

"Have you finished the device yet Dr. K?" Grover asked his Dr. K. She reluctantly nodded, unable to take her eyes off the corpse of the last remaining Ranger. Grover smiled. "Then I guess it's time for me to go back."

"You can't do that!" The present Dr. K informed him. "We need to be the ones who go back. If we don't take part in the Second Battle of Corinth, none of this will exist!"

Grover recalled his helmet and looked at her suspiciously, locked deep in thought. He realised they were right. They hadn't yet taken part in that battle. If they didn't, everything would change. The world he had created would never be.

"Then we'll all go!" He growled, grabbing the present Dr. K. "I'll go with you and..."

"It's not going to happen you murdering psychopath!" Ziggy yelled, tears streaming down his face. "You are not coming! Shut down your rig, and let us go!"

"Or you'll do what?" Grover sneered at him. "That little peashooter can't do a thing to me in this battle suit!"

"I can't kill you!" Ziggy agreed, trembling in his rage. He turned the blaster, sticking the barrel under his own chin. "But I can ensure you never exist!"

"You can't do that!" Grover screamed. "You don't have the guts! You wouldn't..."

"Well what do I have to live for? Do you really think this is a future I want to see?" He interrupted his future self. "My son is dead! I drove the only woman I've ever loved to suicide! I've killed everyone I've ever cared about! I've become everything I hated!"

He started to walk forward, approaching Grover.

"Do you remember the Gang Wars? I took out all of the Cartels in one night, not for power, not for selfish gain, but so that Alex would have a better world to grow up in than I had!" He reminded him. "Now look at you! You've become everything I hated most in the world!"

"She cost our son his life!" Grover roared, shaking Dr. K violently. "She ruined my life!"

"You ruined it, just like you ruined everything else." Ziggy told him. "The people in this time are fighting and dying for the scraps of a world you destroyed after all that time you spent fighting to save it!"

Grover let go of Dr. K and looked down at his hands, seeing them still covered in Flynn's blood. Dr. K ran over to Ziggy's side.

"I'll take you back and..."

"Even if you stop me doing this, I'll just throw myself off the first building the second you turn your back!" Ziggy interrupted him. "I'd rather not live than become a blood-soaked maniac like you. Alex deserved better, and so did Tenaya."

Grover fell to his knees, clutching his head in his anguish, beginning to weep hysterically as he realised his position. It was all over. Now that he was facing having everything he had done being destroyed, he looked at it with new eyes.

"What have I done?" He wailed as he looked up at them. "I destroyed everything!"

"We have a chance to make it right." Dr. K told him. "We can go back, but now we know more about Venjix's plans, we can stop this from ever happening."

"You...you can..."

"I can try my best." Dr. K interrupted him. Grover smiled weakly before getting to his feet.

"Promise me you'll save Alex." He begged her. "I don't care what happens to me, please, promise me you'll protect him and I'll do it. I'll shut down the rig."

"I promise." She told him. Grover reached to his wrist, de-activating his battle suit. Ziggy looked to his morpher, seeing that it was now active.

"Thanks you." Dr. K said to him, taking her place by Ziggy's side. Ziggy morphed, before holding onto her arm. The future Dr. K levelled the device at them.

"This has to be timed exactly right." She reminded them. "Ziggy, teleport...now!"

With that, she fired.

In the past, the Rangers were still in the Garage, trying to open Dr. K's files. Flynn stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"She likes those Mr. Marshmallow things." He remarked. "Try that."

Gem typed it in, only to be denied access once more. He threw his hands up in the air.

"We have three attempts left." He told them. "What could it be?"

"Maybe it's something that she thought we wouldn't think of." Gemma suggested. "Maybe it's something less obvious."

"How about Venjix?" Summer suggested. "It's the last thing I'd imagine her wanting to think about."

Gem tried it, again he was denied access.

"Right we've only got two more tries left." Gemma reminded them. She tried something else, only to be denied access. "Well it isn't Alex."

Scott looked around, trying to think of what could possibly have been going through his girlfriend's mind when she changed her password. As he looked around the lab, he noticed one thing that was out-of-place and smiled as he got an idea.

"Move over Gem." He instructed the Gold Ranger, beginning to type. The computer sprang into life as the password was accepted. Scott just laughed a little, shaking his head.

"What was it?" Summer asked him.

"That would kind of defeat the point in having a password now wouldn't it?" He teased her, enjoying the thought of knowing something she didn't. Just then, as Gem started to search through her files for any search programmed that might be designed to scan for hybrids, when there was a bright flash. Ziggy and Dr. K appeared in the room, stumbling to the floor. Ziggy de-morphed as they landed.

"You really have to work on your landings." Dr. K told him. Ziggy didn't pay any attention though. He snapped to his feet, ignoring the pain of his injuries and immediately rushed over to Tenaya, grabbing her in a deep, tight hug. She felt a little surprised by the desperation in his hug, but having been worried herself, she was glad to have him back.

"Where's Alex?" He asked her. "I have to see Alex where is he?"

"He's in our room, I just put him down." Tenaya told him. Ziggy ran out of the room, with Tenaya a little way behind him. "Ziggy, I just got him to sleep!"

"We were so worried about you!" Gem and Gemma chorused together, hugging Dr. K excitedly.

"So tell us, what's the future like?" Flynn asked her. "Do I grow up to be fat? Please don't tell me I go bald!"

"It's best I don't tell you. The future isn't set in stone, there are still things that could change it, I only saw one possible conclusion." She informed them. They could tell from her tone that whatever she had seen had obviously troubled her. She looked to her computer, noticing it was unlocked. "What are you doing with my computer?"

"Father Larry's dead. He was murdered." Summer explained. "The evidence points to it being a hybrid. We were just looking to see if you have a search programme that can detect hybrids. It seems like there are more in the city."

"There is a programme, but I've not finished it yet." Dr. K informed them, making her way to her computer. "After that hybrid framed Gem, I thought it prudent to be prepared in case more had entered the city."

"I thought you might have." Scott replied, with a slightly cocky smile. Dr. K just sat by her computer, staring at him. "Could you guys give us a minute?"

The others left the room, leaving them alone. Dr. K looked up at Scott nervously.

"So you figured out my password I presume." She began. "How?"

Scott pointed to a bouquet of flowers in a vase, sitting on one of her work benches.

"When we were trying to guess, I saw the bouquet from the wedding and remembered that you caught it." He reminded her with a little smirk putting his arm around her. "Dr. Truman?"

She started to turn a little pink and shrunk into her chair. Scott just chuckled at her discomfort.

"Don't worry about it; I'm flattered you think about that kind of stuff." He assured her, kidding her on the cheek.

"I do think about it. I never thought I would, but since I met you...I've never considered anyone else in that way." She told him.

"So is this...a proposal?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow. Dr. K just shook her head.

"I was trying it out...it's just a fantasy." She told him. "I'm sorry Scott, there's so much to do. I need to completely re-think my strategy for the final assault; I need to finish this search programme..."

"It's alright, I understand." He said, smiling at her brightly. He kissed her once more. "What we have is enough for now. I can wait."

"Scott, it's the phone." Gem told him, interrupting the moment somewhat. "It's your brother."

"Marcus?" Scott answered, taking the phone. It was a little late for him to be calling. "What's going on?"

"There are more hybrids in the city." He told him. "Four of them just attacked the asylum, they were soldiers."

"Are you alright?" Scott asked him.

"Winner and still champion." He sighed, looking down to his blood-stained clothing. The corpses of the four assailants still lay broken all around him. He had given Cassandra something to help her sleep and locked her back in her room for her own safety, uncertain if more would come. "They were after Cassandra."

"They wanted Cassandra?" He asked him, slightly puzzled. "What would...?"

His face fell as he suddenly made the connection. Father Larry had been murdered by a hybrid with seemingly no motivation, and now they had gone after Cassandra.

"Did Cassandra feel anything before they attacked?" He asked him. Marcus recalled the incident in vivid detail.

"They were soldiers. They said they were there to take her to Father Larry on Vasquez's orders." Marcus informed him. "She suddenly got really ill and started freaking out. She was screaming her head off. When I tried to stop them they attacked me."

"Marcus, put the place on full lockdown and call dad. Tell him to bring the Go-Onger. I'll send Flynn and Dillon to pick up a couple of transports. Round up the patients and have dad take them to a safe location. Trust him and no one else!" Scott told him. He hung up the phone and turned to Dr. K. "Four hybrids just attacked the asylum, they were after Cassandra."

"They were after Cassandra?" Dr. K asked him. "Then that means..."

"Father Larry was murdered because he was empathic." Scott confirmed. "They're worried they can identify hybrids, and it seems like they were right. Marcus only knew something was wrong because she started freaking out when they came too close."

"This also presents us with another problem." Dr. K continued. "It shows there are more hybrids, a lot more than we thought."

"They could be anyone in any place!" Scott agreed. "We really need to get that scanner up and running."

At that point, Gemma was making her way to Hicks' apartment, knocking on the door. He was just watching some TV after a long day at the crime scene. He opened the door and let her in.

"Hicks, you never called." She reminded him. "I was worried about you."

"I'm a big boy Gemma; I don't have to be looked after all that time." He told her. "I was working. Colonel Truman needed me at the crime scene."

"I called you the night before that." She reminded him. "I really wanted to talk to you. I'm sorry I haven't been able to come around like I usually do."

He didn't know how to answer her on this count. He had found out from his answering machine that she had called, but he had no idea what he had done that night. All he knew was waking up, having lost almost a full day with no memory of where he had been or what he had done. It was a little worrying to him, but given his history of mental problems, he was reluctant to tell anyone about it in case he ended up in the asylum.

"Gemma, I'm sorry, I must have bumped the answering machine and erased the message by accident." He lied to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and rubbing them gently. "I promise, I just forgot to call."

"I guess I was worrying a little too much. Things are getting a little crazy." She said gently as she looked into his eyes, drawing closer to him. "I guess I just missed you."

"I missed you too." He said softly, kissing her passionately. Gemma smiled as they parted. "I'll tell you what? How about I get us a couple of drinks to make up for it?"

"Do you have cherry cola?" She asked him. Hicks just laughed.

"We may have to make do with Sauvignon Blanc, but I'll see what I can do." He replied.

With that, he went into the kitchen as she sat on the couch. He flicked on the light and opened the fridge, grabbing the bottle and a couple of glasses, but as he turned back, something caught his attention. He looked down to his laundry basket, seeing a shirt at the top. Pulling it out, his heart froze in fear as he realised it was covered in blood. It was one of his shirts, but he had no idea how it could have ended up that way.

"Damien, do you need a hand?" Gemma cooed, teasing him a little with the first name no one ever used for him. Hicks quickly stuffed the shirt into the laundry basket, shoving it to the bottom out of sight.

"I was just checking on the cherry cola situation." He told her as he arrived. "I'm sorry; it looks like we'll have to make do with this."

"I guess it'll do." Gemma replied, accepting a glass. He sat on the couch with her, putting his arm around her. Gemma laid her head on his chest as she curled up on the couch.

"It's been a really crazy couple of days." She told him sadly.

Hicks just stroked her hair, taking comfort in having her there with him as he took a long gulp of wine, but he couldn't stop thinking about the shirt. He couldn't remember where the blood had come from. He didn't know where he'd been or what he'd done that night. The thought kept playing over and over in his mind. "What have I done?"


	6. Hicks' Discovery

The following morning, Vasquez woke up in her easy chair, Elwood curled up on her lap sleeping soundly. She noticed that the television was on, and shook her head in disbelief.

"I fell asleep watching television?" She grumbled, wiping sand from her eyes. "God, I'm getting old. I'm turning into my Grandmother."

She lifted Elwood off her lap, setting him down on the floor as she looked at her clock, breathing a sigh of relief that she hadn't overslept. She could do without being reprimanded for being late; she had enough work to do dealing with the recruitment of the asylum staff. The phone started to ring just as she was about to head to the shower.

"What now?" She muttered. Elwood got up, starting to stretch the kinks out of his back. "Vasquez here."

"Vasquez, its Colonel Truman. How quickly can you get here?" He asked her. She rolled her eyes, suppressing the desire to groan. He had already upped her workload and pushed her towards a promotion she didn't even want. Now he was encroaching on her personal life? Sure, she'd be the first to admit that she didn't have the most active or exciting personal life. She spent her nights reading or watching television, and the man in her life had four legs a tail and fur, but it was her time.

"I just woke up; I can be there in about half an hour." She told him.

"Thanks, I'll brief you when you get here." He assured her. "I appreciate this."

"Somehow I doubt that." She muttered as she hung up the phone. She turned to her cat, tickling him under the chin gently. "Sorry, it looks like breakfast for one this morning."

Elwood let out a little mew as she went to get washed up and changed. He padded into the kitchen, hopping up onto the counter as he awaited his owner.

As Vasquez finished with the shower and started to get dressed, she noticed something odd. Her folders were all lying on her desk, unopened on her bedside table. She had gone home to finish her paperwork, but it looked like she hadn't done any of it. She had just switched on the TV and started watching...whatever it was. She thought it unusual that she couldn't remember what she had been watching. It was only last night.

"I can't even remember what I was doing last night?" She asked herself. "I really am getting old."

Hicks meanwhile made his way into the forensics lab. He needed to piece together whatever he had done during that lost day. It kept playing on his mind since he found his shirt in the laundry basket.

Sam and her team were fortunately being kept busy with the Father Larry case. He had yet to be briefed on why the Colonel had asked him to see Sam, but he decided to take this opportunity to satisfy his own curiosity.

He looked around to make sure no one was watching, and pulled the blood-stained shirt from inside his uniform where he had hidden it. He hadn't been properly trained, but he had seen Sam using the machines many times, and had a rough idea how to run an analysis. Putting the shirt inside, he started a scan of the blood. He turned to see Sam standing behind him.

"Can you enter a lab and not start touching everything?" Sam muttered, seeing him by the computer. "No wonder it drives Dr. K mad."

"Sorry, I just always find these kinds of things fascinating." He said, hoping to keep her attention away from the fact it was running. "The closest we had to stuff like this was an old harvester..."

"Sorry Hicks, I guess I'm just a little swamped." She told him. "Ever since the attack, this whole case has just gotten bigger. We got the four new bodies in a couple of hours ago..."

"Wait, what attack?" He asked her. "What new bodies?"

Sam handed him the folder she was carrying.

"The asylum was attacked last night." She informed him. "Four hybrids tried to kill Cassandra and Marcus. He took them out."

"There were more of them?" Hicks asked her.

"Scott thinks Venjix sent them to kill Cassandra because she's an empath." She informed him. Hicks looked at the file, reading some of the report. "It seems she can sense hybrids, we're pretty sure that's why Father Larry was killed."

"I know these guys." Hicks commented, looking at the photos of the four new cadavers. "They were soldiers."

"They were also hybrids." Samantha told him. "It seems they were sleeper agents, only activated to attack the asylum."

"I can't believe hybrids have been so close for all this time." He replied quietly. "How could we not have known? I thought everyone was scanned."

"Well they found some way to avoid it." Sam told him. "Marcus took the patients to a safe house. Only he and the Colonel know where they've been taken. The Colonel wants to keep it on the DL."

"I'm not surprised." Hicks sighed, tucking the folder under his arm. "It's freaky to think they've been among us all this time. If they've hidden it from us long enough to get into the military, who knows who else could be a hybrid."

"It is kind of scary." Sam agreed. "I just hope Dr. K can think of something."

"Thanks for this; I'll take it to the Colonel." He told her. As she left and he made his way to the door, he stopped by the computer, pulling out his shirt and stuffing it back inside his uniform. Checking the screen, his mouth hung open in shock as the result of the blood test came in.

"Father Larry?" He gasped. "How did his blood get on my...?"

A thought occurred to him, one that he didn't want to entertain. He had a whole day missing from his memory. He had had Father Larry's blood on his shirt. Was it possible that he had done it?

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he erased the file and left. How could he even think that? How could he possibly be a hybrid? Dillon and Tenaya had told him all about their memories of the camp, and the factory where they became what they were now. He didn't have any such memories. After the farm was blasted, he could remember walking for miles along the dirt track to the nearest highway before getting a ride to Corinth. He could remember his journey in every detail, right down to the smell of sweat in the over-crowded old lorry, and the sobs of the desperate refugees who, like him, had lost everything. It wasn't possible. Someone had to be trying to frame him. Now all he had to do was find out who did it and why.

Gemma came into the lab, humming cheerfully as she daydreamed about Hicks, finding Dr. K working on her new scanning technology.

"You're in a good mood." Dr. K greeted her, seeing the little skip in her step. Gemma nodded.

"I guess it isn't worth worrying too much." She replied, checking over some devices. "It's not like worrying is doing much to help the situation."

"Are you sure it isn't anything to do with a certain soldier?" Dr. K teased her, smiling a little. "You were in a pretty good mood when you got home last night."

Gemma just giggled a little as she said this, grinning broadly. She had been glad to see him. With all the chaos going on in the dome, with the threat of hybrid sleeper agents being potentially anywhere, ready to strike, she was glad to know he was safe. It felt good to spend time with him. He had made her feel good about herself at a time when the world just seemed to stop making sense. With him, it just seemed a lot simpler, just like it should. She loved him so much, that just seeing him, knowing he was there was enough to keep her going. When he held her, kissed her though, it was heaven.

"Is it that obvious?" Gemma asked her. Dr. K nodded as she ran a couple more tests on a device that looked somewhat like a large pair of mirrored goggles.

"You haven't exactly been subtle." She told her friend. "So do you know if he feels the same way?"

Gemma just shifted a little nervously, taking the goggles from Dr. K.

"Actually we...kind of got together." She informed her friend, unable to contain her happiness any longer. "He kissed me a couple of days before the wedding."

"Really?" Dr. K asked her, somewhat surprised to hear this. Gemma just nodded frantically. Dr. K smiled, knowing that he had been a little dismissive of her in the beginning, and had hurt Gemma more than once. It was pleasing to know that Gemma's devotion, patience and unlimited ability to forgive him had finally won him over. "I couldn't be happier for you."

"So are these things ready to test?" Gemma asked her. Dr. K just shrugged.

"Tenaya, could you come in for a minute?" Dr. K asked her. Tenaya and Ziggy both came in, Alex resting gently in Ziggy's arms. Since he had come back, he had been incredibly affectionate and attentive towards her and Alex. He hadn't explained to Tenaya about what he had seen, thinking it would only upset them, but he had become understandably clingy, barely letting them out of his sight since he came back.

"What can I help you with?" Tenaya asked Dr. K. The mentor took a cable, connecting it to the goggles and the other end to a viewing screen.

"I wanted to test this system to see if it works." She informed Tenaya. "If you would all stand together please."

Ziggy pulled in close to his girlfriend, standing with her. Gemma looked at them, switching on the goggles.

Ziggy watched at the image on the screen showed them standing together. After a few seconds, sections on Tenaya's body in the image started to flash red.

"The scanning system works?" Tenaya asked her. Dr. K smiled.

"It appears so." She replied happily. "Once I refine these, and reproduce them, it'll give us a remote version of the scans I've used on Dillon and yourself before. If we carry these, it will allow us to search the city."

"You're a genius Dr. K." Ziggy responded happily. "If we find the hybrids before they're activated..."

"We'll be able to take away the threat of betrayal." Dr. K concluded. "I'll get to work on reproducing these. The Colonel called to tell us he has Vasquez and Hicks working with him. We have to treat everyone as suspects. The fewer people who know we're working on finding the hybrids the better."

Gemma's cell phone rang at that point. Checking caller ID, she saw it was from Hicks' apartment.

"I've got to take this." Gemma told them, stepping out of the room. Answering the phone, she grinned broadly. "I was hoping I'd hear from you."

"Gemma, I'd really like to see you tonight." Hicks told her. "This thing with the hybrids has got me pretty freaked out. The soldiers that attacked Marcus last night...I knew them."

"Hicks I'm sorry." She gasped, realising how upset he had to be. Marcus hadn't wanted to kill them, but he didn't have a choice. He was outnumbered, and couldn't risk holding back when they attacked, intending to kill Cassandra. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I'd just like to see you." He sighed sadly. "I really just need to talk to someone I can trust."

"I'll be over in a little while." She answered. "I love you."

In the apartment, Vasquez smiled, realising the plan was working.

"I love you too Gemma." She stated in Hicks' voice, the implants altering her voice.

Hicks came into his apartment, throwing himself onto the couch. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, feeling the weight of everything that was happening. He looked up in surprise as he heard his bedroom door opening. Vasquez entered the room, wearing only a dressing gown. Elwood padded into the room after her, leaping up onto the couch.

"Vasquez?" He asked her in surprise. "How did you get in here?"

"I hacked the door lock." She whispered, coming over to the couch and touching his face gently. Hicks looked up at her confused.

"Have you been drinking?" He asked her.

"Not a drop." She informed him. Hicks was starting to get uncomfortable. He had known Vasquez for a while, but he had never gotten any impression she might like him. She just kind of blended into the background, more like a part of the office furniture than a person. She barely spoke to anyone, and wasn't quick to approach others. He certainly wouldn't have picked her as the kind of person to break into his apartment and throw herself at him.

"Vasquez, I know you're upset, I knew those guys too." He told her, taking her by the wrists and removing her hands gently. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel about you that way."

Vasquez just laughed, shaking her head. He didn't know if this was just her way of trying to ignore the somewhat embarrassing position she was now in.

"You really have got a big hit for yourself haven't you?" She cooed softly. "This is for your girlfriend's benefit."

"My girlfriend?" He asked her.

"I just called Gemma. She's coming over." Vasquez informed him before switching to his voice. "Well, more accurately you did."

Hicks suddenly realised what was happening, looking at her in horror.

"You're a hybrid?" He yelled, looking around for the nearest weapon. Vasquez just nodded, before moving in closer, her face inches from his.

"So are you." She whispered. Hicks shook his head.

"No, it isn't possible." He replied quickly, his voice filled with desperation. "I never..."

"Run memory program." Vasquez stated, interrupting him. Hicks' head was suddenly filled with vivid images of the day the drones attacked his farm.

It was the day of his wedding. The house was full of friends and family, celebrating the day. His hunting dog, Lincoln had run out of the house to get peace from the noise. Hicks followed him, finding him hiding under an old apple tree.

"It's alright boy, it's only music." He assured the old dog, kneeling down next to him, not worrying about his suit trousers as he clapped him gently. Lincoln seemed to be scared for some reason. "I know dad's had a few and his dancing is a little scary..."

His words tailed off as he heard the first of the drones coming. Looking up, he saw them descending, heading towards the farm. The lead craft opened fire. The image burned in his eyes, tears beginning to form as he watched the old wooden building, the only home she'd ever known, blasting apart, reduced to kindling in less than a second.

"Jessica!" He screamed as he started running, heading towards the building at full tilt. He arrived, finding what was left of the building engulfed in flames almost 20 feet high. He fell to his knees unable to breathe as he watched it burn. He knew there was no way any of them could have survived.

He heard footsteps, and turned to see Grinders advancing on the site to check for survivors. His heart beat faster, screaming for vengeance. These things had taken everyone he had ever loved from him. Despite the hopeless odds, he rushed towards them, snatching the axe from the chopping block, swinging wildly. He didn't notice the blows at first, his rage driving him to smash Grinders with every blow, until finally his body couldn't take any more. He fell to the ground, staring up at them with hatred burning in his eyes.

"Stop!" He heard a voice calling. A gold-plated robot walked up to him, inspecting him thoughtfully. "This one took nearly a dozen of our warriors. He could be useful."

His vision blurred out of focus, before finally sliding into black. The last thing he saw was Shifter's hand coming down to grab him.

"The memories you have of that day were fabricated by our master to blind you to your true purpose." Vasquez informed him as his thoughts returned to the present. "Like me, your implants are only activated when Venjix wants you to perform a task."

"It's a lie!" He screamed, shoving her off him. Vasquez just laughed again, seeming to take delight in his torment.

"I just wanted you to know before you're activated for your latest task." She told him. "After all, you did such stellar work eliminating the empath."

"Father Larry?" Hicks gasped. Just then, he was assaulted by more memories, visions so vivid he knew they had to be true. He looked up, his eyes wide with terror. "I killed him?"

"And now you're going to kill your girlfriend." Vasquez said matter-of-factly, coming back over to the couch, wrapping her arms around his neck and moving in. "But not before we make her suffer a little first."

She caught him in a tight embrace, kissing him deeply. Hicks couldn't do anything to stop her, she was too strong. He heard the door opening behind him and felt his heart racing as he realised that Gemma had arrived.

"Hicks?" She whispered, her voice barely able to escape the lump rising in her throat as she saw the scene before her. Vasquez was in his apartment, wearing only a bath robe, her arms around him.

"Gemma..."

"Is this why you asked me to come around?" She asked him, her voice quivering as she spoke. "You called me around to see this?"

"Gemma, you don't understand!" He called out, hoping to warn her. Vasquez released him, allowing him to rush over to the Silver Ranger. "She's..."

"Activate." Vasquez said before he could warn her. Gemma saw Hicks' eyes flashing red and held her hand over her mouth, her breath taken away as she realised that the man she loved was one of the infiltrators. As she reached to her waist band for her Morpher, he reached forward, grabbing her wrist and stopping her from taking it, before punching her hard in the face. She fell to the ground, barely conscious. She could do nothing to stop her as Vasquez came over, taking the morpher from her waist band.

"As you can see your boyfriend has chosen the winning team just like me." Vasquez taunted her as Hicks knelt over her, seizing her wrists and holding her fast in a grip far too strong for her to escape. She went to the control for the door, activating the lock. "Now, he gets to do to you what he did to Father Larry."

Gemma looked up at Hicks, tears running down her face as he just smirked.

"You should have seen the look on his face when I snapped his neck." He quipped flippantly.

"Hicks, this isn't you!" She screeched at him, hoping to reach him. She could remember when Dillon had turned, and knew that he had been able to fight the control, at least briefly. "You don't want to do this, please fight this!"

"It's no use; Venjix has complete control over him now." Vasquez told her, pulling out some handcuffs. Gemma struggled as Hicks turned her over onto her stomach and pulled her hands behind her back, but he was too strong for her to resist. Vasquez cuffed her hands in place. "Now, I doubt it's any surprise that Master wants you out of the way, but I think we'll have a little fun first."

"Hicks, I know this isn't you." Gemma told him through a few sobs as she resigned herself to the danger was in. "I love you."

Hicks never said another word as he turned her onto her back. Her eyes burned into him, pleading with him to come back to her, to release her from her plight, but it was hopeless. The man she loved couldn't help her. He gave her a chilling smirk.

"I think I know just what to do with her." Hicks told Vasquez as Elwood leapt onto his shoulder, watching on in interest. He leant down, his lips mere inches from Gemma's. "Trust me sweetheart. You're going to have one hell of a night."


	7. Gemma's Peril

A/N: Now the series has ended, and the finale has aired. While I will admit to enjoying a lot of the finale, I'm pretty much going to ignore it and write my own ending. Hope you all enjoy it as it unfolds.

Scott was wandering around the Ranger base in the early hours of the morning, unable to sleep. Now that Venjix had activated at least four hybrid sleepers, the Rangers were all tense, anticipating his final move at any time. He had woken up a couple of hours ago, having only managed to get a couple of hours' rest, and no matter what he tried, he simply couldn't get back to sleep. Having finally given up, he had pulled on a pair of denims, before making his way down to the kitchen to make himself a drink.

As he got to the fridge, taking out a soda, he noticed a sliver of light just under the door to Dr. K's lab, and reasoned that someone else had been unable to sleep. He went to the door and smiled as he found the woman he loved so deeply still deeply immersed in her work. She was concentrating so deeply that she was oblivious to the fact that it was dark, the only light in the room provided by the vast array of monitors that were on.

He cast his eyes over her tiny, slight frame, thinking about all the time they had spent together. He had found her fascinating right from the moment he first saw her. She was a couple of years younger than him, her nineteenth birthday only a short couple of weeks away, and yet she had created the life, the world they all had now, both the good and the bad. She carried herself with a certain sadness that had always puzzled him, right up until he became aware of her part in creating Venjix. She never forgave herself for her part in the end of the world as it had been, and worked tirelessly to destroy what she had created.

The pale blue glow of the monitor she was working on reflected off her almost unhealthily pale flesh. She had broken her habit of staying inside since she had gotten together with Scott, but still rarely went into the sunlight. Despite knowing that her allergy to sunlight had been a lie, designed to imprison and enslave her to Alphabet Soup for the entirety of her life, since coming to Corinth she had still shut herself away. It was a part of her that troubled him a little, like she was imprisoning herself for a terrible crime that everyone knew was not her fault. She enslaved herself to the effort to destroy him as a penance, seeking at least some measure of absolution in the eyes of those that knew what she had done, even if she would never feel it in her own heart.

It was these tragic factors of her life that had drawn him to feel for her, pity her in a way that overshadowed his initial rage when he blamed her for Marcus' disappearance. He had come to feel sorry for her, and that was simply the first step on the path to where they were now.

He just stood for a second, looking at her as she worked, oblivious to her surroundings. He had initially found himself becoming drawn to her as they worked together, becoming more and more fascinated with her. For one so young, she was easily the most insightful and challenging person he knew. It wasn't simply her intelligence, despite her being easily the most intelligent person in the city, and arguably the most brilliant mind to ever exist, it was the way that she analysed everything. She sought the meaning and purpose to everything. It made her incredibly challenging to get close to. Since her social and emotional developments were largely underdeveloped, it was just something that made it even more rewarding to get to know her.

He had always been aware of the fact he was considered attractive, and had had more than a few relationships in his life, but she always intrigued him. She could see through his lines, and constantly challenged him. She was unlike anyone he had ever met.

She looked so different now to the girl that he had met all that time ago. She still wore the lab coat whenever she was working, but other than that, she had been convinced to abandon her old ways, to distance herself from the creation of Alphabet Soup's captivity. She now wore a tracksuit; similar to Gemma's as both a way of getting rid of the unflattering school uniform she had worn before, and also as a kind of closer connection to the team. Her hair was a little longer now, and styled into a bob since she had given up the habit of cutting her own hair with lefty scissors. She was now able to let someone else deal with her hair, not much of a gesture, but an important one in distancing herself from what Alphabet Soup had turned her into. He found his eyes straying, a little disappointed that the lab coat hid so much of her physique. Because she wore the tracksuit now, he enjoyed the way it complimented her figure more. He came over to her side, brushing aside some of her hair and kissing the side of her neck, drawing her attention. She brushed him away gently.

"Scott, I'm busy." She muttered. Scott wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly. "I don't have time."

"You don't have time for much now." He replied in a whisper. "You know they invented this thing called sleep. Some people do it to rest..."

"Scott, I have far too much work to do." She reiterated, pushing his arms off her. "I still have to find a way to deactivate the mental implants in the hybrids and free them from Venjix's control. I need to complete a mass screening of the city to find the extent of the infiltration, I have to complete the review of our strategy for defeating Venjix, I need to fortify the Garage..."

"Whoa, hold on there." He interrupted her rant, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. He held her, trying to look into her eyes. "You do have a team for a reason. You don't have to take everything on yourself."

"You don't understand, I know what's going to happen if we keep going as we were." She told him, trying to look away. She was still haunted by what she had seen of the future. Even when she had succeeded in destroying Venjix, it seemed she was destined to destroy lives. She had promised to protect Alex, but how could she accomplish that? It was impossible to guarantee anyone's safety in this war. She had been unable to look at Ziggy, and barely able to speak to him since they got back. He had seen what he could become if she failed, and it troubled him greatly. It was as though from the moment she was born, whether she intended it or not, she was destined to be the downfall of humanity. "I know what I'm responsible for."

"Well why don't you tell me then?" Scott asked her. "What could you have seen that was so awful?"

"Scott I can't..."

"I love you; I can't stand seeing you like this!" He interrupted her sharply. "You can't hold yourself single-handedly responsible for everything, it'll drive you insane!"

"I can't tell you, anything I tell you could alter the future and we have no idea..."

"What you're doing now could alter the future!" Scott reminded her. "I know you're smarter than me but it doesn't feel good to know that you don't trust me! What makes you the only one who can change things for the better?"

"It's my fault he died." Dr. K murmured. Scott paused as he heard this. "In the future I saw, the Garage was destroyed with myself Alex and Tenaya inside. He didn't make it out."

Scott leant on a nearby work bench and shook his head in disbelief.

"Ziggy blamed me for his death. Things got...really bad after that. I'm sorry but I can't go into details." She continued to explain. "Not because I don't trust you, but because it's too hard. It's because of me things..."

"That's why you wanted us to fortify the Garage." Scott interjected sadly. "You wanted to ensure Alex would be safe."

"I promised Ziggy I would stop it from happening." She stated, nodding her head. Scott came to her side, cradling her chin softly.

"You can't do everything by yourself." He repeated as he drew closer. "Now that I know I can help. You have a team for a reason; you need to let us take some of the strain."

"I have been working on something." She informed him. "I've been trying to figure out how many hybrids..."

"There could be up to 150." Scott told her. She looked at him a little astonished. "Marcus, Tenaya and Dillon were D-series. The one he found in the wastes identified herself and the ones in the camp he found as E-series."

"He destroyed the E-series and the remaining D-series." Dr. K recalled. "There were 50 in the D and E-series program. If it can be presumed that the same is true of the other programmes and there was an A, B and C series..."

"150." Scott concluded. "Excluding the four that we've already destroyed, and its possible there were Dregs, rejects like the D-series..."

"Even that isn't a comforting thought." Dr. K sighed. "As we know, one-on-one the infiltrators are more than a match for human soldiers. Even a handful of them would be a significant problem. Not to mention it still isn't clear what positions they could have infiltrated."

"We'll find them." Scott told her, smiling as he reached for one of the visors she had made. "We'll search tomorrow."

"What are you going to do Scott? Scan every person in the city?" She asked him. "You're talking about trying to find fewer than 150 people in a city of millions!"

"Then you work on the mass scan." Scott assured her, drawing closer, his face inches from hers, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "We'll concentrate on the most significant risks. The military, the water treatment plant, the air recycling plant..."

"You're not playing fair." Dr. K said with a little forced smile. "How am I meant to concentrate on worrying when you aren't wearing a shirt?"

"I could be wearing a lot less." He replied cheekily, pulling in to a loving kiss. Dr. K felt her heart skipping a beat as they separated. She pulled off her lab coat, hanging it up on a chair, before pulling off her tracksuit top and throwing it aside. As Scott pulled in, kissing her again, she started to remove her t-shirt. The moment was interrupted as the lights suddenly came on full-beam. They pulled apart, straightening themselves out as much as they could as Gem came into the room. Dr. K's cheeks were bright red as she straightened out her t-shirt. Gem looked a little uncomfortable too, like a kid who had wandered into his parent's room at an inopportune moment.

"Gem, what are you doing up?" Dr. K asked him. Gem's eyes were wide, and he kept looking around, trying to find somewhere to look other than them.

"I...uh..." He stammered as he tried to find a way to talk to them after being interrupted. "I got up to go to the bathroom and Gemma's missing."

"Maybe she just got up." Scott suggested, crossing his arms in front of himself as he became pointedly aware of the fact he wasn't wearing a shirt. Normally it wouldn't have bothered him, but this situation had become a little uncomfortable.

"Her bed hasn't been slept in." Gem informed them. "I haven't seen her in hours."

At that point in time, Gemma was just regaining consciousness, Elwood's tail brushing against her face as he paced around. Hicks had beaten and tortured her at Vasquez's command until she couldn't take anymore and passed out. She tried to speak, only to find herself gagged by a length of duct tape. Her hands were still cuffed behind her back. She pushed herself into a seated position as she looked around.

She was in a large, cylindrical room, about 40 feet in diameter, and nearly 200 feet high. The floor was only a grating, beneath which was a propeller which was oddly still. Hicks was a little way off, working with a welding torch, while Vasquez watched. Looking back to Gemma, she smiled.

"Well, rise and shine sleeping beauty." She greeted her as Elwood hopped up onto her shoulders. "You're just in time; your boyfriend seems to be just about finished."

Gemma looked over as Hicks finished what he was doing. He had welded a bracket to the floor. Coming over to her, he dragged Gemma over to it.

"I'll bet you'd just love to know where we are." He said as he dragged her to the bracket, locking her handcuffs to it. "You're in the water treatment plant. A couple of the guards at the gate are hybrids. Trust me, no one will come."

"I thought that this would be a bit better than simply killing you quickly." Vasquez told her. "We had this tank drained, but once we leave and seal the door, we're going to start filling it."

"It should take about two hours for it to fill over your head." Hicks told her, ripping the tape off her mouth. Gemma yelled in pain as he did this. He grabbed her face and turned her to look at him as he held up her morpher, before throwing it far out of reach. "If you try hard, you should be able to keep your head above water that long."

"Hicks, please don't do this." She murmured as tears ran down her face. She knew it was impossible to escape by herself. Someone would need to release her. "Hicks, I love you, I know you can't do this."

"Actually it's pretty easy." He taunted her. "Think of it as being like turning on a tap. Only a couple of thousand times bigger."

"Venjix had to work hard to keep the activation signals weak enough that Dr. K couldn't find them." Vasquez told her, picking up a large, black case. "The master had to have a conduit to activate the sleepers one by one. Right now only Hicks, myself, and the guards at the gate are active."

"You're the conduit." Gemma whispered. "You activated Hicks." Vasquez just smiled before tapping the case.

"We're going to the Central Command building. Once we're at the highest point in the city, we'll detonate this." She informed Gemma. "Once this goes off, every hybrid in the city will activate all at once. Then we'll just take care of the Colonel."

"You can't do this!" Gemma shrieked as she struggled against her handcuffs. "Hicks, please I know you aren't capable of something like this, it isn't in your heart please..."

Her words were cut off as Hicks leant in, kissing her deeply. She closed her eyes, unable to look at him. She knew it wasn't the man she loved that was kissing her. There was no tenderness, no love in his touch. He separated from her, smirking at her torment.

"Goodbye Gemma." He whispered as he got up and turned around, beginning to leave. He got to the door, swinging it closed.

"Hicks!" Gemma screamed one last time, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. As he closed the door, sealing her inside and preventing anyone from hearing her cries for help, he locked it shut. He gestured up to the control room. The controls were activated and the tank started to fill up.

"It's a shame really, she was kind of cute." Vasquez commented. "She would have made a good hybrid..."

Hicks never said a word, just taking the case from her and making his way to the nearby jeep. Vasquez never even noticed the one tear running down his face.

Back at the Garage, the Rangers quickly assembled as Dr. K composed herself. She shared a little look and a half-hearted smile with Scott, while Gem just sat in the corner, fidgeting slightly, still a little embarrassed by what he had walked in on.

"Alright doc, what's so important we have to get up at this ungodly hour?" Flynn yawned as he poured himself some strong coffee, hoping in vain that it would take the edge off his fatigue.

"Gemma's missing." Dr. K informed them. "I've done a scan for her morpher's energy signature, but it's switched off."

"She would never do that." Summer stated, a worried look crossing her face. "The only reason it would be switched off is to prevent it being tracked."

"I think we must presume the worst, and presume that she's in trouble." Dr. K concluded. "We need to search for her."

"The last time I saw her was when she headed to Hicks' place." Tenaya recalled as she checked that Alex was still sleeping. There was no reason for all of them to lose out on much-needed sleep. "I'll call him."

"What about her cell?" Ziggy asked. Dr. K just shook her head.

"There's no answer, and there's no signal." She told him. "Wherever she is, the signal's blocked."

"What's that?" Gem asked, pointing to something on the screen. Dr. K looked to the screen he was indicating.

"I've been scanning waves of multiple frequencies looking for a possible activation code since the hybrids started to become active." Dr. K told him. "There's been nothing powerful enough to activate them remotely and there's only been a couple of spikes, but this control code has been constant."

"There's one walking around activating the others?" Dillon asked her. "Like a TV remote with legs?"

"Something like that, but the signal is strangely weak." Dr. K informed them. "I haven't been able to figure it out. It's only spiked a couple of times, presumably when hybrids are activated, but this code...it's so weak it barely registers."

"Well that's going to have to wait." Scott told them. "Right now we have to find Gemma."

As the Rangers left, Gem suddenly got a call on his cell phone. He answered it, hearing his sister's voice on the other end.

"Gemma, where are you?" He asked her as the others all left the Garage, beginning their search.

"I'm at the water treatment plant." Vasquez told him in Gemma's voice. "Come quickly, I've found some hybrids here trying to poison the water supply."

"I'll get the others..."

"There's no time, hurry!" Her voice shrieked before the signal suddenly went dead. In the jeep, Vasquez had crushed the cell phone to create the illusion she had been attacked.

"So you activated all the hybrids at the plant?" Hicks asked her as she stroked Elwood softly. She nodded.

"I'm sure a dozen hybrids are more than a match for one Ranger." She replied. Hicks pulled into the parking lot outside the Central Command building, killing the engine. "Now it's time to activate the rest."

"I always thought you didn't want promotion." Hicks said as they got out, taking the case as they headed for the door. "Until the master comes, you're about to become the Colonel by default."

Meanwhile in the palace, Venjix was preparing for the assault. His factories had been churning out Grinders day and night for a long time, preparing the invasion force. Crunch came to his master's side.

"Everything is in place master!" He cackled. "Vasquez is almost in position to activate all the other hybrids."

"Soon humanity will be erased from existence." Venjix told him. "There is only one more thing I need taken care of."

"Anything you wish Master Venjix!" He responded, bowing a little. Venjix gestured him closer.

"I have suspected for some time that Kilobyte seeks to dethrone me." He informed Crunch. "Victory over mankind is so close; his betrayal will surely come soon."

"I'll destroy him..."

"Not yet my most loyal of servants." Venjix told him. "He is one of my most powerful creations. He may be of use. Wait until our victory is assured, and then eliminate him."

Crunch just left, laughing insanely as he went. Of all his servants, Crunch was one of the most powerful, but was also one of the few he could rely on to perform the task. While, like Kilobyte, he had independent thought, he was also nowhere near bright enough to betray him. If Crunch had made any moves to usurp control, he would see them long before it became a problem. No, Crunch was loyal, because he wasn't smart enough to realise that his own time also grew short. Venjix wanted absolute control. What use did he have for servants with independent thought?

As he went to the main hangar to lead the march to the city, Kilobyte left his hiding place, watching his master go.

"Venjix is aware I intend to destroy him. This will make things more difficult." Kilobyte mused thoughtfully. "Though if he believes that fool Crunch is capable of destroying me, he is sadly mistaken."


	8. The War Begins

Dr. K was working frantically in her lab, co-ordinating the search for Gemma. It had been close to an hour since they had realised she was missing. Scott called in as he completed his sweep of the shopping district.

"She isn't here." He informed the doctor. "I've checked everywhere she normally hangs out."

"There was no sign of her at the Orphanage either, Ziggy called in a little while ago." Dr. K informed him. "Move on to the barracks. Hicks wasn't in when Tenaya called, maybe he's there. He probably knows where she is."

As she closed off the communications channel, an alarm sounded. Tenaya rushed in, carrying a screaming Alex. He had been woken by the alarm, and was far from happy about it. She typed frantically with her one free hand.

"The computer's just picked up a massive disturbance in the wastes." Tenaya rushed out as Dr. K came to check the monitor with her. "Venjix is on the move."

"By now I think presuming all this is a coincidence would be foolish." Dr. K remarked. "It appears Venjix is sending a massive force towards the city."

"I've never seen anything like this!" Tenaya shrieked as she checked the energy signature. "He's sending...he's sending everything!"

Meanwhile, Gem was just arriving at the water treatment plant. She had called him a little while ago to tell him to meet her there, to help her stop hybrids from poisoning the water in the plant, but so far he could see no sign of her. Indeed, there was no sign of anything happening at all.

His communicator bleeped, and he was about to answer it when he noticed something lying on the ground a little way off. Sunning over, he found the remains of a broken cell phone. Picking them up and inspecting them more closely, he realised it was Gemma's.

"She was here." He gasped as he started to look around frantically. "Gemma!"

"She can't hear you." A guard told him as he walked into view. "She's nearby."

"You know where she is?" Gem asked him. "How do you...?" His words tailed off as he realised what was happening. Pulling out the scanning visor, he turned it on, confirming his horrible suspicion. Areas on the man's body appeared to flash red as it scanned him.

"You're a hybrid?" He asked, pulling into a guard. "Where is she?"

"She's...taking a little dip." He informed Gem, pointing to the main tank. Others started to come into view, all of them also registering as positive for implants. Looking around, Gem realised he was surrounded.

"Guys, I've found Gemma. She's at the water treatment plant." He told them over the communications link. "I could use a hand here."

Over at the Central Command building, Colonel Truman had just arrived, having been contacted by Dr. K as soon as the army approaching Corinth had been discovered.

"What are we looking at?" He asked as soon as he got into the room. The night staff were scanning the wastes, trying to get a handle on exactly what they were facing.

"It's a full-on invasion." The technical officer told him. "I've never seen anything like it. He's coming himself, but it looks like he's throwing everything at us."

"It looks like there's a Grinder for every man woman and child in Corinth out there!" Colonel Truman exclaimed as he got the visual. "Why are they attacking now? They know they can't possibly get an invasion force of that size into the dome with the shields up."

Just then, Elwood hopped onto the console before him. Colonel Truman looked confused to see the cat there.

"Who let this cat in here?" He snapped. Just then, Vasquez came into the room, levelling a blaster in his direction. "Vasquez?"

"Yes, I'm a hybrid." She informed him. A couple of the other guards levelled weapons at her, only to be taken down quickly as Hicks rushed into the room, levelling them dismissively. They lay on the floor unconscious.

"Hicks? You too?" Colonel Truman questioned them.

"Sorry about this, but it looks like your commission's just been revoked." Hicks told him sarcastically as he started to hook up the device in the briefcase to the main console. "We're sleeper agents. We were activated to make the final moves in the game."

"What are you doing?" Colonel Truman asked him. Vasquez just activated the device.

"We were only able to activate the hybrids one at a time before." She informed him. "Venjix needed to keep our true nature hidden, so he could only risk keeping the conduit active. Once he activated me, I could activate the others as and when they were needed."

"You're the conduit?" Colonel Truman asked her. She smiled at him.

"I just activated the others as and when they were needed." She informed him. "I activated Hicks when we had a little problem with Father Larry."

"You killed him?" Colonel Truman gasped as the weight of what she had said hit him.

"Now with this device we're going to activate every hybrid in the city." She informed him, "Venjix had us infiltrate key points in the city, all leading to this one moment; the moment we open the door."

"You're going to lower the shields!" Colonel Truman yelled. He reached for a blaster, only for Hicks to grab his hand, holding him fast. He felt dread building in him as he watched her deactivate the shields. When Venjix's forces arrived, there would be nothing to stop them marching on the city.

Back at the water treatment plant, Gem was struggling against his attackers. He didn't want to hurt the guards, and he couldn't even think about killing them. They were innocent in their actions, powerless to stop themselves under Venjix's control.

He sent one of them flying with a low-power blast from his sky shift blazer. Dillon arrived on the scene shortly afterwards, plunging into them.

"I see what you mean about needing a hand." Dillon stated as he kicked one of them hard, knocking him over. "Where's Gemma?"

"She's in the tank!" Gem told him.

"I'll keep these guys busy. You get her out!" Dillon told him. Gem nodded and ran towards the tank. He checked the gauge on the outside, seeing that the water level was so high that the safety mechanism prevented the door from opening.

He didn't know where in the tank she was, so he was reluctant to just break in. As he looked down, seeing Dillon struggling to keep his opponents at bay without hurting them too badly, he resigned himself to the fact he didn't have a choice. Powering up his weapon, he fired, tearing open the side. Gallons of water rushed out in the space of seconds.

"Dillon watch out!" Gem called down. Dillon saw the wave coming towards him and leapt into the air as it crashed through, scattering the hybrids. He looked around, satisfying himself that they were incapacitated before rushing to join Gem.

Gem ran into the tank, finding Gemma's body lying limply on the floor. He cut her loose with his Cloud Hatchet, before rolling her onto her back.

"She isn't breathing." He said in a panic. He started to perform CPR as Dillon hit the communicator.

"Doc, we found Gemma." He told them. "Are the others at the command centre yet?"

"Not yet, Scott reported hybrids attacking all over the city." She informed him. "They're making their way back here, but it's taking a while."

"All the hybrids have been activated?" Dillon asked her. Just then, Gem breathed a sigh of relief as Gemma started coughing and spluttered up some water. She was shivering badly, the cold starting to tell on her. "Guys, we need to get out of here. The hybrids have been activated."

"Hicks..." Gemma coughed as Gem put his jacket on her to warm her up. Dillon did likewise, realising that hypothermia could be an issue if they didn't act quickly. "Hicks and Vasquez are hybrids. They did this."

Gem's face contorted into a mask of rage. He had almost lost his sister because of them. Dillon put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know, I understand how you feel, but it isn't their fault." Dillon told him.

"They went to the Central Command building." Gemma informed them. "They were going to activate all the hybrids."

"If they take control of the building, they..."

Gem's words were interrupted and they all looked up as they saw the shields coming down.

"Well I guess we know what they wanted." He remarked. "Come on, we need to get back to the command centre."

With that, he and Gem helped Gemma to her feet, before rushing to the Fury. It looked as though they were going to have to face the final battle a lot sooner than they expected.

Ziggy arrived in the Garage first, teleporting into the main room. He ran to Tenaya's side, throwing his arms around her.

"Thank God you're safe!" She said as she finished kissing him passionately.

"I saw the shields coming down and I got worried." He told them. "Is Gemma...?"

"Gem just called, she's alright." Dr. K told them. "Dillon's bringing them back here as we speak."

Summer's motorcycle sped into the room, skidding to a halt. She threw off her helmet as she rushed over to them.

"Is everyone back?" She asked them. Dr. K shook her head.

"It's become apparent that Venjix has taken control of the Command Tower." She began, her expression communicating the seriousness of their situation. "Without the shields, the city is completely defenceless."

"Not completely." Summer corrected her. "We're still breathing."

Scott's racer sped into the room, also screeching to a halt, narrowly missing Summer's bike. He got out the car and ran towards them.

"I just got a message, Morse Code." He told them. "Dad's been captured. The hybrids are rounding up any humans they find at the Barracks. They're being turned."

"If they already have control of the barracks then that means most of the military's already captured." Summer replied.

"We don't know how many are free and still fighting." Dr. K reminded them. "We have no idea who we can rely on for support. We're on our own."

"A few of the citizens are still fighting." Scott told her. "But on the whole, we have to presume we're on our own."

Flynn arrived at that point, slamming on the anchors, but failing to avoid hitting Summer's bike in his desperate rush to get back. Summer just glared at him, but let it go for just now. Her bike being damaged was by far the least of their problems.

"Its bloody chaos out there, the city's tearing itself apart!" Flynn informed them. "There's some citizens fighting, but the hybrids are over running them."

"I have an idea where we could get some help." Ziggy chipped in, morphing once more. "If we don't have the regular army, it's time to get another one."

"Ziggy, where are we going to get more soldiers?" Scott asked him. He shared a glance with Tenaya, smiling at her. She knew exactly what his plan would be, and while she wasn't exactly wild about it, she knew they were fast running out of options.

"It's probably best you don't know." He replied. "Trust me."

With that, he teleported away, leaving them confused. Dillon was the last to arrive, Gem and Gemma getting out of his car as they came over to them.

"I think I know how to get the hybrids back to our side." Gemma stated, still shivering uncontrollably. "Vasquez told me..."

"Vasquez is a hybrid?" Dr. K asked her.

"Hicks too apparently." Dillon added. Dr. K looked at Gemma a little sympathetically. She could guess what had happened to her, and could guess at how much it had to be tearing her apart. She was the only one that knew that Gemma had gotten together with him.

"We can't worry about that..."

"Vasquez told me that there's a conduit." She continued. "That's how Venjix managed to get the signal to activate the first hybrid into the city."

"Gemma..."

"Venjix is in his body, he's separated from his mainframe." Gemma reminded them. "If we destroy the conduit, you can send out a signal that will deactivate the hybrids..."

"And he won't be able to re-activate them." Dr. K concluded. "Do you have any idea where the conduit is?"

"It's in the command building." Dillon told them. "It's Vasquez; she was the first one active."

"So we have to destroy her?" Summer asked them. "Guys, she's an innocent victim, we can't just kill her!"

"We may not have a choice." Scott replied. "If it's a case of her life or the lives of others..."

"I don't think we have to destroy Vasquez." Gemma told them. "Come on Gem."

The others watched them go before anyone could stop them. Scott turned back to the rest of them.

"Dillon, until Ziggy gets back the Valvemax isn't accessible." He continued with the briefing. "Come on guys, we need to get out there. If Venjix is coming, I guess it's time to say hello."

Over at the Central Command building, Vasquez and Hicks were awaiting their master's arrival when Kilobyte came into the room. Crunch was not far behind him, sticking close to him as a result of his master's orders. Kilobyte knew exactly why Crunch was tailing him, but it didn't concern him greatly.

"What are you doing here?" Vasquez asked them. "The Master didn't tell us..."

"I have a small matter of business to deal with here." Kilobyte interrupted her. "If you would be so kind as to...be somewhere else, that would be appreciated."

"The Master..."

"I am his highest ranking General, now leave us!" Kilobyte barked. Vasquez didn't look at all happy about being dismissed so rudely, but she accepted the slight. She jerked her head to the door at which Hicks followed her to the door.

"So what are you doing here?" Crunch asked him. "Venjix never told me of any orders..."

"Except the order to destroy me." Kilobyte interrupted him casually. Crunch shifted a little uneasily. "I warned you before that this would happen. That is why I must destroy him."

Just then, he held up a hand-held detonator, pressing the switch.

"What did you do?" He shrieked. Kilobyte just laughed.

"I wired the palace before we left." He told him. "I've just destroyed Venjix's mainframe. Now all he has left is that body. If that's destroyed..."

"You traitor!" Crunch shrieked as he called forth his weapon and charged to the attack. Kilobyte called forth his sword and prepared to defend himself.

Vasquez and Hicks arrived outside, taking a seat on the steps at the front of the building, as Elwood padded down the stairs behind them. He hopped onto her lap and curled up, at which Vasquez started to scratch him behind the ears.

"Are you late for something?" She asked as Hicks cast a look down to his watch. "The tank will have filled up by now."

"I'm sure." He replied, feeling the same conflict within him. His mind kept telling him that what he was doing was all that was important, but any time he thought about Gemma his chest felt heavy, and he found it difficult to breathe. Something about what he had done troubled him deeply. He knew that he was human before, and that he had some connection to the Silver Ranger, but what did that matter? Why did he keep thinking about her?

"It'll all be over soon." She told him.

In an alley a little way off, Gem and Gemma crouched behind a trash can. Gemma slipped on a scanning visor, observing Hicks and Vasquez as they talked. She got a broad smile as she confirmed her suspicions.

"It looks like I was right. We can destroy the conduit without much problem." She told her brother. She took off the visor, looking down at the ground as she considered what she wanted to say next. "Gem, could you do me a favour?"

"I'll fight him." He replied. Gemma looked up at him a little surprised, but he looked down on her and smiled. "I figured it out."

"Bu I never told you..."

"Hey, we did share a womb together." He reminded her. "You are only a few minutes older than me."

"Gem, I..."

"It's alright, I understand why you wanted something you didn't share with your baby brother." He responded softly. "I've shared everything with you up until now. I suppose it was bound to happen for one of us sooner or later."

"I'll take care of Vasquez." Gemma told him. With that, they rushed into view, morphing as they did so. Vasquez was the first to notice them, standing up, causing Elwood to hop off her knees.

"I guess you survived your little bath." Vasquez teased her. Gemma just took a step forward.

"I'm not that easy to kill." She replied. "Growing up in Alphabet Soup I've been blown up more than once."

"Hicks, why don't you...?"

"Sorry, but I already have business with him." Gem interrupted her. "He made my sister cry. That's something no one does and gets away with it."

"He did a lot more than that to her." Vasquez told him. Gem just looked to his sister, confirming that he knew she was only trying to psyche him out. He knew despite his instinctive will to hurt Hicks for what he did to his sister that it wasn't his fault. He rushed Hicks, throwing a hard kick into him, sending him flying into the wall. Vasquez looked up to Gemma.

"So I guess we're the ones that dance." She taunted her. "I suppose it was too hard to fight your boyfriend."

"Actually it was just easy to want to hurt you." Gemma replied coldly. "I'm here to destroy the conduit."

"Well..." Vasquez was sent to the floor by a hard punch, blood streaming down her face from her nose.

"You kissed my boyfriend you bitch!" Gemma hissed. "Let's get this over with!"


	9. The War Ends

Scott, Dillon, Summer and Flynn all arrived at the edge of the city, looking out on the dome. Since the shields had been deactivated, they were now relying purely on the steel of the dome to keep Venjix's forces at bay. They already knew that it wouldn't hold for long.

"I guess this is what we've been waiting for." Scott said quietly. The others nodded gently as they prepared for what could well be their last battle. One way or another, the war was going to end that very day.

"I wouldn't mind a little back up." Summer commented, looking at her three friends sadly. She felt a large hand taking hers, lacing his fingers with her own. She looked up, seeing Dillon smiling at her.

"Whatever happens, you're all I need." Dillon assured her. "As long as I've got you to fight for, I'm going to make Venjix pay dearly for every inch he advances."

"Rangers! Come In!" Dr. K interrupted them. "There's been a massive energy fluctuation in the wastes. Venjix's palace had been destroyed!"

"His palace has been destroyed?" Scott asked her. "Who would do that?"

"Who could?" Flynn added.

"Who cares." Dillon concluded. "Don't you realise what this means? His mainframe was in there. He can't upload himself anymore!"

"That's correct Dillon. He's now trapped in his body." Dr. K informed them. "If you can destroy his body..."

"We destroy him." Flynn concluded. Just then, they heard a massive bang, and the entire dome rocked ominously. The Rangers looked at each other.

"I guess that's our visitors knocking." Scott told them. "Remember, this is our Thermopylae. Until Ziggy shows up with the reinforcements we're on our own."

"This all hinges around Ziggy finding enough people willing to fight for us and get them all here?" Dillon asked him. "There's a comforting thought."

"Why did you have to mention Thermopylae?" Flynn sighed. "Why couldn't you use the Battle of Stirling Bridge?"

"What happened there?" Scott asked.

"The Scots stood against a much larger English force using the bridge as a bottleneck." Flynn told him.

"So it was their version of Thermopylae?" Summer asked him.

"The difference is the Scots won." He replied.

"I think I prefer that one." Summer told him. At that, the dome rocked again under bombardment. Scott took a step forward, activating his communicator.

"Dr. K is there any word on Gem and Gemma?" He asked her.

"I've nearly finished the deactivation code." Dr. K told him. "They've not destroyed the conduit yet."

"What about Ziggy?" He asked.

"Ziggy hasn't called in yet." She sighed. Scott just shook his head.

"Thanks Dr. K." He replied, his chest tightening as he prepared for the battle to come. He hated to think that he might never get to see her again. He had already imagined the life they would make together if they got through this. It just made him more determined than ever to go on. "I love you." Dr. K smiled as she heard this.

"I love you too Scott." She replied.

"Alright guys, you know what we're facing." Scott told them. "Just think about whatever it is that makes you want to get through this. Keep your selves focused and keep going no matter what happens." They all nodded solemnly as they got out their morphers.

"One last time guys!" Scott called out. "Ready?"

"Ready!" They chorused together. "RPM, Get in GEAR!"

Over at the Central Command building, Gem kept Hicks at bay while Gemma took care of Vasquez. The female hybrid managed to score a telling blow to her ribs, aggravating an injury Hicks had given her when they tortured her early.

"Why do you even bother fighting?" She asked the Silver Ranger. "The man you love is completely at Venjix's mercy. He tortured you, hurt you in every way imaginable, and all because I asked him to."

"He might be under Venjix's control right now, but I know the real Hicks!" She hissed back, pulling out her cloud hatchet. Vasquez pulled out a knife, parrying her blows. "I know he'd never hurt me intentionally! I know he'll be consumed with guilt when I free him from your master's grasp, but most of all, I know I'll forgive him!"

"You were nothing but a joke to him!" Vasquez sneered as Gemma scored a glancing hit, slicing neatly across her cheek, drawing blood. Vasquez returned the blow, causing sparks to shower from her costume. "We all used to laugh at you! The boom twins, the biggest joke..."

"He told me he never took me seriously before, but I changed his mind!" Gemma interrupted her, powering up an energy blast from her weapon, sending Vasquez flying. "He thought I was one thing, and then he changed. He realised I was something else and he changed his mind! He adapted! That's why Venjix will never win! Machines can only grow within their core programming. Humans can always adapt!"

Gemma hammered home another hard attack, sending Vasquez to the ground. Gem caught Hicks in a tight hold, restraining him with all his strength as Vasquez looked up, seeing Gemma powering up her Sky Shift Blazer. Elwood hopped onto her shoulders.

"Go ahead, take your shot!" She sneered. Gemma flexed her fingers on the handle of the weapon. She recalled her helmet, locking eyes with Vasquez as she aimed.

"Gemma, you have to do it!" Gem screamed at her, struggling with Hicks desperately. "It's the only way to free them!"

"You'll never do it!" Vasquez taunted her. "No matter how many humans it would save to do it, you'll never kill me..."

Gemma's eyes narrowed as she squeezed the trigger.

Back at the main battle site, the others were quickly finding themselves overmatched. While they were mainly battling Grinders, the sheer weight of numbers was telling on them. Summer rushed to Dillon's side as he rolled clear of a blast.

"Are you alright?" She asked him, the concern on her voice coming through. Dillon nodded.

"I never let a little thing like an explosion stop me." He replied as he struggled back to his feet. "A few billion of these things might be a different matter though."

"Lay down your arms and make this easy on yourselves!" Venjix stated as he stepped into view. "If you surrender now, I may keep you as hybrid pets."

"It's never going to happen!" Scott yelled, calling out his Street Sabre. "You know, I used to think you made hybrids purely as a weapon, but now I think I know the real reason you made them!"

"This may be amusing, tell me your theory Ranger Red!" Venjix instructed him.

"You're jealous of us!" Scott roared defiantly. "No matter how advanced your technology, no matter how far you advance, you're still restrained by your programming!"

"You think...?"

"You say you despise the imperfection of humans and yet you covet what we have that you don't!" He continued. "We have free will! Freedom of thought and action! We can create! No wonder you're so obsessed with Dr. K!"

"I am..."

"She's your creator, your GOD!" He snarled. "You don't just respect her, you worship her! There's only one problem. So do I!"

Just then, the square was suddenly filled. Ziggy sprinted to them, followed by his "army", comprised of every inmate in Corinth Prison.

"Sorry I'm late guys, it took a while to convince the guards to open the gates." He told them.

"I'm not surprised!" Dillon told him. "Ziggy, only a couple of months ago most of these guys wanted to kill you! The rest wanted to hurt you!"

"If you can think of a better place to find a couple of thousand people ready to fight be my guest." Ziggy replied.

"This thing wasted a lot of my crew before we got to Corinth!" Spike Mike called out loudly. "If I'm going out, I'm taking as many of these things to Hell with me as I can!"

From the other side, the Corinth military and the militia formed out of every able-bodied person in Corinth willing to carry a blaster arrived on the scene. Scott smiled as Gem and Gemma joined them.

"I see you brought the cavalry!" Scott greeted them.

"She sure did!" Vasquez chimed in as she and Vasquez arrived.

"I thought you were the conduit." Dillon stated. "I thought you were destroyed!"

"Elwood was the conduit." Gemma informed him. "I figured it out. The reason the signal to keep the conduit active was so weak was because it didn't NEED to be strong. Humans are complicated. Robotic cats aren't!"

"That is one thing no machine will ever have, COURAGE!" Scott told him. "Every person here is scared, but they all keep fighting! Not because they're told to, but because they want to! The human spirit will never be destroyed!"

At that point, a figure appeared on a nearby car, standing in the light of a street lamp. D46 was standing there, a blaster in one hand, the sword from Marcus' memorial in Corinth Park in the other. He pulled off his helmet, revealing his face. There was a murmur from the assembled army as they realised what they had witnessed. Colonel Truman had been right all along about Marcus. Seeing the Hero of Corinth rise from the grave to stand in their defence one more time was the one banner that would unite the people. Scott turned to Venjix, recalling his helmet to face him directly.

"No one touches Venjix!" Scott ordered them. "He's mine!" With that, the army charged into battle, facing their destiny one way or another.

In the Command Centre, Kilobyte sent Crunch to the floor with his sabre. Both of them were heavily damaged after their brutal encounter, but Kilobyte now had the upper hand. He produced his blaster, aiming it at Crunch's head.

"You were always inferior to me!" He sneered as he tightened his grip on the blaster. "You and Shifter were always so blind to the Master's true nature. He was never going to let us survive the war! As soon as he won, he'd have recycled us!"

"I am loyal to Venjix!" Crunch shrieked. "I will never betray him like you did!"

"No, you're going to be destroyed instead." Kilobyte told him.

"I am!" Crunch replied with a smile. "But I will serve him to the end, and I will carry out his last order!"

Kilobyte watched as he reached to his right forearm, activating the switch. It was the last thing he'd ever see.

At the main battle site, everyone paused and looked up as the Central Command building exploded, shrapnel the size of cars raining in all directions. Everyone took cover as best they could from flying debris.

Ziggy ducked behind a dumpster as a chunk of concrete bigger than him slammed into the street where he was standing. He looked up in time to see Summer rushing for a family that was about to be hit by a girder. He remembered what he had heard in the future, that Summer was killed saving a family, and acted, teleporting over to them, before teleporting again. Summer skidded to a halt, being narrowly missed by the girder.

"Summer, are you alright?" Dillon asked her. She nodded.

"I am thanks to Ziggy!" She replied. Ziggy was grateful to have stopped one thing at least, but he couldn't help looking over to the Garage, finding himself paralysed with fear as he saw it buried in debris.

"Alex!" He screamed as his tears began. He felt the hopelessness of his situation, the failure to defend his son in his heart. Summer ran over to him.

"Ziggy, we have to keep fighting!" She yelled as she tried to hold it together. "If Venjix wins..."

"He'll never win!" Ziggy screamed, his voice cracking with the strain. He had lost everything he was fighting for. Now he only had one thing left...vengeance. Scott landed a little way from him as Venjix started to grow.

"It looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way!" Scott told them. "Come on guys! Let's go to the Zords!"

In the wreckage of the Garage, Dr. K came to, dusting herself down.

"Tenaya?" She asked. She didn't get an answer and immediately felt despair filling her heart. Had she failed as she was destined to? "Tenaya!"

"I'm here!" She replied, coughing as she got up, a sharp piece of metal penetrating her shoulder painfully. She was holding Alex in her arms softly. Dr. K ran over to her.

"Alex!" She screamed. "Alex!"

The baby started screaming as she yelled at him. Tenaya handed him to her, freeing her hands so she could tend to her own injuries.

"I saw the roof coming down and I covered him." Tenaya told her, grimacing in pain as she pulled the metal shard from her shoulder.

"Ziggy told you about what would happen?" Dr. K asked her. Tenaya just looked confused.

"Told me what?" Tenaya asked her.

"When we went to the future...Alex died in the collapse." Dr. K told her. "That's why I had the building reinforced."

"The way Ziggy's been so clingy, I just...paid him a little more attention." Tenaya replied moving back over to her. She took Alex in her one good arm while Dr. K looked around for something to bind her wound. "I kept close to him."

"I'll just..."

"I'll live, just make sure Ziggy knows." Tenaya interrupted her.

"But Tenaya..."

"It'll kill him not knowing!" She screamed at her friend. "Please! Just let him know!"

Dr. K rushed to the console, finding the communications channel still open.

"Scott, we're alright!" She screamed quickly, making sure he heard, lest the link go down. "Scott, we're all fine! Tenaya and Alex are fine!"

The Ultrazord was staggered by one of Venjix's attacks as they were distracted. Ziggy couldn't concentrate after hearing the news.

"He's alive?" He whimpered, trying hard to fight the knot in his chest. He heard a cry over the communications channel.

"We're both fine Ziggy!" Tenaya told him. "We're fine!"

"The tide's turning guys!" Flynn told them, looking down onto the street. "The people are winning!"

"Well it's time for us to do our part!" Scott announced. "Venjix your time is up!"

With that, he grabbed the controls, turning the power up. Dr. K got back on the communicator.

"Scott, you're exceeding the safe power load limit by an astonishing margin!" Dr. K screamed at him. "Scott!"

"We need to end this now!" He roared. "Guys, activate Wheel Blasters!"

Vanjix saw them beginning to power up their ultimate attack, and rushed them, hoping to stop them firing. It was too late though. Just as he grabbed the Ultrazord, they fired.

Down on the ground, all the Grinders suddenly stopped, their internal system fried by the feedback from the explosion. The citizens of Corinth all scattered, hiding wherever they could as twisted, burning and charred metal scattered in all directions.

The streets were deathly silent as the last of the debris stopped coming down. Marcus was the first to come out of hiding, making his way into the street.

"Is it over?" He heard a voice asking from behind him. He turned in time to see Vasquez coming into view.

"It looks like it." He sighed, his heart frozen by worry. He had fought so long, so hard but he couldn't feel any joy at the victory.

"Where's Gemma?" Hicks asked as he came over. "Is she...?"

Just then the dust started to clear, and the Rangers walked into view. Everyone cheered loudly as they saw them. Bloody and battered, the Rangers dragged themselves into the centre of the street to rapturous applause. In the throes of passion, the relief of reprieve from certain doom, complete strangers hugged, some even kissed.

"Gemma?" Hicks asked as he saw her. She hobbled over to him, blood leaking out of her from several superficial wounds, her strength all but gone, but she still managed a smile. He ran over to her, throwing his arms around her tightly. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be." She whispered as they parted. She pressed her lips to his, taking joy in the sensation. Gem looked on as she did this. Flynn grabbed his arm, causing him to look round.

"You can give him the brother talk later pal." He told the Gold Ranger. "I think she's earned it, don't you?"

"I guess so." He replied with a grin that was so wide it split his face.

Ziggy turned on his heel and ran from the scene as fast as he could, ignoring his pain. Dillon watched him go, impressed by him. He had come so far from the irritating little scam artist he had met in the wastes, attempting to car-jack him with an out-take muffler. He had impressed him many times. While to a casual observer, he was often a joke, the weakest of the team, in some ways he was the most amazing man he had ever met. He was the best of them. No matter what anyone said about him, or how desperate life became, he always found a way to come through.

"I can't believe he didn't stick around for the party." He remarked as he watched him disappear.

"I think he'll have his own little party." Summer stated as she put her arms around his waist. "Once he gets back to Tenaya and Alex, I doubt he'll be able to stop celebrating."

He turned to her, putting his hands around her, giving her that same warm, safe, familiar feeling she always had in his presence. She looked up at him as he did this.

"So now all this is over, what do you think about...you know...the future?" He asked her. Summer just raised an eyebrow.

"I was thinking that we might finally get around to being newlyweds." She answered. "Maybe we could have a honeymoon..."

"I was thinking a little more long-term." Dillon interrupted her. He gave her a little smile. "I was thinking of what exactly Mr. And Mrs. Landsdown would do now?"

"I like the sound of that." She replied with a huge grin. While the crowd started continued to celebrate and the Rangers split off to their own individual celebrations, Summer put her arm around his waist, Dillon put his around her shoulders as they walked away. "I had a few ideas about that actually."

"Do I get a say in these plans?" He asked her.

"What do you think?" She asked cheekily as they left the street, leaving the citizens to enjoy their moment while they enjoyed theirs.


	10. The Reformation Begins

Marcus was standing in Corinth Park as workmen worked on a project. He had gotten through the battle remarkably uninjured. He limped a little, but he mostly had superficial cuts and bruising. He was one of the lucky ones. Thousands had fallen in the Second Battle of Corinth, and millions more were injured. Every doctor, nurse and anyone with any level of first-aid training had been drafted by the military to deal with the back log, but even then hospitals and makeshift MASH units were overworked, forced to distribute treatment on a purely priority basis.

The damage to the city was also being seen to with every resource at their disposal. The prison work scheme was pretty much exclusively contributing the inmates to clearing roads and heavy labour to make way for the rebuilding of the city. Priority had been given to rebuilding the Garage. With the Central Command building destroyed, and the Garage damaged, the decision had been taken to use the old site of the Garage for the new Central Command centre.

It had been almost completely rebuilt and the systems rebooted to help co-ordinate the efforts, direct the reformation and to scan for any distress messages. Since Venjix was no longer around and blocking communications out of the city, they sent out messages, hoping to confirm or deny rumours that Corinth was not the only colony of humanity left. Such rumours had been common since the shields had gone up. With so much of the world far beyond scanning range, it was not hard to understand why people had hopes that other secure facilities had been built.

The next stage of priority had been given to building homes. Thousands were still in temporary accommodation. Marcus still thought it was too early for effort to be wasted on this particular project, but his father and Chas had made up their minds. They were tearing down the old memorial to Marcus' memory, to stand as the site of the monument to the Second Battle of Corinth. There was to be a ceremony in a few days to honour the fallen and celebrate the victory over Venjix. Despite how much still needed to be done, Chas had decided that the people needed some time to decompress and take a break.

"It feels odd to watch your own grave being ripped up." Colonel Truman told him, arriving behind his eldest son, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I still have the head stone from when I faked my own funeral in my basement."

"Has our family ever been normal?" Marcus asked him with a chuckle. It was kind of odd to think about it. Two members of the Truman family had been presumed dead, one of them was a hybrid, and one of them was the Red Ranger. He doubted many people would be able to have such conversations.

"You didn't return my call." Colonel Truman told him.

"I ignored it." Marcus corrected him, turning to face him. "I don't want it."

"Marcus, you were the leader of Eagle Squadron before." Colonel Truman reminded him as he took a seat with him on the park bench. "I thought you would want..."

"Dad, I'm not the same man I was, you know that." He interrupted him. "After all this, after everything I've been through, I'm just tired of fighting. I don't want to go back into the military."

"I can understand that." He answered, slightly disappointed, but respecting his son's decision. When he was out in the wastes, his life was a constant, daily battle for survival. Even when he arrived in Corinth, violence had dominated his life. He could understand his desire to simply stop. "Do you mind if I ask what you'd like to do now?"

"I've spent so long fighting; I just want to see if I can do something to care for others." Marcus replied with a smile. "I think I'd like to keep working security at the asylum. I like taking care of the patients. They really respect me there and..."

"You've given this a lot of thought haven't you?" Colonel Truman asked him. Marcus nodded and handed him a letter.

"Consider this my official resignation from the military." He replied. Colonel Truman nodded and smiled as he put the letter in his pocket.

"I'll let Chas know we can give up the search for new guards." Colonel Truman told him. "Vasquez will be happy at least. She never did like that job."

He got up, beginning to make his way back to the command centre.

"Dad!" Marcus called out, stopping him. "If you're still looking for a leader for Eagle Squadron, you know my old recommendation stands."

"I'll keep that in mind." Colonel Truman told him. "I have some business at the command centre. I'll see you around."

"Thanks for understanding dad." He replied. Colonel Truman just smiled.

"I understand more than you know." He informed him. "I'll call you later."

At that point in another part of town, Tenaya was struggling to change Alex. Given the injury to her shoulder, her arm was in a sling, isolated while it healed. Dr. K had performed a procedure to repair the damage to her implants, but there was still muscle damage to heal. Summer knocked on the door softly.

"Would you like me to do that?" She asked her sister-in-law. Tenaya nodded, finally conceding defeat at the hands of a disposable diaper. Trying to change him with only one hand just wasn't working. Summer took over, working the straps quickly.

The Rangers had been excused from the reformation efforts. It was mostly an act of gratitude on the part of the city, but it wasn't unwelcome. The blast when they had destroyed the Ultrazord had left all of them more than a little worse for wear. Summer was covered in cuts and bruises, and her chest was heavily taped to protect a couple of fractured ribs.

"How's the honeymoon?" Tenaya asked her. Summer just looked at her.

"You do know this doesn't count right?" Summer asked her. "The teddy bear wallpaper doesn't exactly create the most romantic atmosphere."

Since the military was using the Garage as their base, the Rangers had to be relocated. Scott and Dr. K were still in the Garage, while Flynn had moved in with Sam. Summer though, knowing her parent's apartment didn't have room for both her and Dillon had accepted an invitation from Ms. Foster to stay at the orphanage with Dillon, Tenaya and Ziggy until new apartments could be found for them. They had been fortunate enough to get a room to themselves, but the thought of all the kids running around made it seem a little inappropriate to spend time together.

"I'm sure we'll get apartments soon." Tenaya told her. "I love the kids here, and Alex loves all the attention he gets from his grandparents and the other kids but I'd like a little more time to ourselves."

"Ziggy's having a ball." Summer commented. "He hasn't had much time to visit lately I guess."

"He is enjoying catching up with them." Tenaya replied, thinking about him. "I just...I'd like a little privacy."

"I never thought it would be possible to have less privacy than when we lived at the Garage." Summer answered, picking up her nephew and cradling him softly. She grimaced a little as she did so, aggravating her ribs slightly, but she was able to ignore the pain to take him. "I love the kids, but I can't wait until we get our apartment and get out of here."

"Summer, would you and Dillon like to take Alex for the day?" Tenaya asked her. Summer looked a little concerned about her, but Tenaya held up her one good hand. "This isn't a depression thing. I just wanted to talk to Ziggy alone for a little while."

"Is it anything I would like to hear about?" Summer asked her, a little smile on her face as she thought about the prospect of spending the day with her little nephew. She loved it any time she got to take care of him. She had even found herself falling head over heels for Chas and Brie's daughter Stephanie.

"I want to talk to him first." Tenaya replied. "It's kind of about our..."

"Oh my God, you're not are you?" Summer asked her. "Are you...?"

"What? Oh, no it's nothing like that!" Tenaya replied, seeing the way Summer's eyes lit up. "No...but it was kind of related. We haven't really had time to talk about it, but I'd really like to make things official...become a real family."

"I guess I should have seen that one coming." Summer replied. "I couldn't be happier for you both."

Just then, Dillon knocked on the door, causing them to look up at him. He smiled a little, seeing Summer with Alex in her arms.

"Again?" He asked her.

"Tenaya's letting us take him for the day." She gushed, coming over and reaching up, kissing Dillon's cheek. "I thought maybe you'd like to take a little trip to the park."

"I guess we could do that." He replied with a grin. "Do you and Ziggy have any plans for the day?"

"I have a few ideas." Tenaya told her brother with a grin. "I'll see you later little guy. I love you."

Summer and Dillon took him from the room just as Ziggy walked in, finding her.

"I guess you let them take Alex." He commented. "I swear I worry Summer's not going to give him back one of these days."

"Ziggy..."

"Ten...I wanted to talk to you for a little while." He told her. Tenaya paused for a second.

"Ziggy..."

"It's kind of important, could you let me finish?" He asked her. "Listen, I'm glad we've got a little time to ourselves, but there's something I'd like you to see out in the main room."

"Ziggy before we do..."

"Please, just humour me will you?" He asked her. Tenaya just shook her head, giving up on her attempt to get a word in. He took her by the hand and led her out onto the landing. She found Summer and Dillon with Alex, all still waiting at the top of the stairs.

Looking down the stairs, she saw all the kids assembled with Bob and Helen, holding up a hand-painted banner made from an old bed sheet. She struggled to catch her breath as she saw the banner's message. "Tenaya, will you marry me."

She turned to see Ziggy on one knee before her. She held her hands over her mouth, tears beginning to run down her face as she saw this, nodding frantically.

"Yes!" She screamed loudly. Ziggy got up, throwing his arms around her as he did so. "Ziggy, of course I'll marry you!"

Dillon and Summer just watched on, smiling as they embraced. The kids all screamed in their excitement while Bob and Helen stood, watching their son proudly as he pledged his life to the woman he loved so much. He pulled out a small box, showing her the ring, but looked down, remembering her left arm was in the sling.

"Um...maybe we should wait a while before I put this on." He suggested. Tenaya just nodded.

"I think that would be best." She replied.

Dillon put his arms around Summer as she watched them, proud of his sister and his future brother-in-law. He looked down to Summer, holding his nephew and smiled.

"It looks like the family's getting bigger." He told her. Summer giggled.

"I just realised something." She told him. "I'm going to be related to Chas after all."

Dillon thought about it for a second and realised she was right. Chas was Ziggy's half-brother. Once he married Tenaya, that would make her one-time fiancé a member of the family by default.

"I guess I wouldn't have seen that one coming." He chuckled. "Anyway, let's go. I think my sister might like a little time on her own."

"I think that would be best." Summer told him, bobbing Alex gently in her arms. It was time to bring family to the fore. Now there was no more need for Rangers, it seemed like it was time to think about the future.

Over at the Central Command base, Colonel Truman arrived to find people working hard on their efforts. Dr. K had dedicated her time to reconfiguring all their systems. Gem and Gemma were helping her. Scott had stuck around largely to keep close to his girlfriend while she was so busy.

Hicks and Vasquez arrived in the base, dressed in casual clothing. Gemma smiled at Hicks, waving gently. He returned the gesture, giving her a slightly dreamy smile. Although Dr. K had run the hybrid sleeper agents through a programme which permanently disabled the control circuits in their brains, Hicks and Vasquez still felt awful about their part in the invasion. Hicks in particular had been unable to forget what his part was. Colonel Truman arrived in the room, seeing them.

"I see you both got my message." He told them. He had summoned them both to the base when they had failed to report for duty. "Scott, would you join us in my office please?"

Scott got off the chair he was sitting on, following the other three to Colonel Truman's office. They found Chas waiting for them there.

"I think I know why you called us here." Hicks began, placing his military ID on the desk. Vasquez followed suit. "I know it would be best..."

"Hicks, what are you doing?" Colonel Truman asked him. Hicks looked at him, a little confused.

"I thought I was being asked to resign." He replied. "I know we've gone AWOL lately, but we..."

"Hicks, you know that nothing you did was your fault." Chas told him. "You were cleared of all charges."

"I know I'm not facing charges, but..."

"Chas, you really don't know why I brought you here." Colonel Truman interrupted him. "I wasn't going to ask you to resign."

"So why am I here?" He asked. Colonel Truman smiled at him.

"Don't you think I've trusted you with duties far exceeding your post?" Colonel Truman asked him. Hicks thought about it for a little while. "I wasn't training you as my assistant. I was training you as my replacement. I talked to Chas earlier, and I have elected to retire. It's about time I spent a little while with my family for a change."

"Your replacement?" Hicks asked him, a little unconvinced. "But the virus..."

"You will never be controlled by Venjix again." Colonel Truman reminded him. "I have every confidence in your abilities as a soldier, and as an officer. I feel it's time to let you take the reins."

"I agree." Chas told him. "I can think of no one else I'd prefer to have overseeing Corinth's defence in the future."

"I really don't know what to say!" Hicks gasped.

"The job also comes with a generous raise and your own office." Colonel Truman added. Hicks looked to Vasquez for some kind of support. Just like him, she was unsure exactly how comfortable she'd be going back into a position of trust. "It would also free up your old job for another officer I've had my eye on."

"Me?" Vasquez shrieked. "I lived with a cat I didn't even know was a robot for over a year!"

"According to Gemma it was a very convincing reproduction." Colonel Truman reminded her.

Vasquez and Hicks looked at each other, completely torn over the decision.

"You don't have to make a decision right now. It would probably be best if you thought it over." Colonel Truman told them. "The ceremony is in a week. I'll expect your decision by then."

He turned to Scott.

"They aren't the only ones I want to offer new jobs to." He told him. "Since you won't be a Ranger anymore, I wondered if..."

Just then, the alarm sounded. Colonel Truman rushed from the command room, finding Gem, Gemma and Dr. K working frantically over their scans.

"What's going on?" Colonel Truman asked them.

"We have two unidentified signals approaching." Dr. K told him. "There's a large vehicle which isn't identifying itself heading this way."

"It's approaching fast from the west." Gemma added. "It appears to be armed!"

"You said there were two signals." Scott chipped in, rushing over. "Where's the other?"

"It's coming from space." He informed the Red Ranger. "It's a ship of immense size, it's also armed!"

"What kind of size are we talking?" Scott asked him. Gem looked around, his eyes wide in terror.

"It's huge, clearly an interstellar craft." He informed him.

"Right now I'd feel a heck of a lot better if the Zords weren't scrap metal." Scott sighed. "Sorry dad, but it doesn't look like we're hanging up the morphers just yet."


	11. Visitors

Within the hour, the Rangers had assembled in the new Central Command building. Colonel Truman had sent most of the soldiers away, reasoning that until they knew what was coming, it was best to limit how many knew about the approaching vehicles to avoid a panic. Since it was less than a week since they had finally gotten rid of Venjix, it would hardly be comforting to know that unidentified vehicles were making their way to Corinth.

Gemma was drumming her fingers on the table nervously as she awaited the beginning of the briefing. Hicks was still sitting in the corner of the room, considering his new position. The Colonel still hoped he would accept the offer to replace him, and had kept him in on the briefing for that reason. Similarly, Vasquez was also still in the room, looking completely lost. It didn't take a lot of insight to feel the tension in the room. It was clear that everyone was terrified.

"What do we know for sure?" Scott asked to begin the meeting. Dr. K pulled out a hand set, lowering the lights in the room as a holographic projection lit up the centre of the room, showing a three dimensional image of the solar system.

"The space craft heading this way entered our solar system a little under an hour ago." She informed them. "At its current velocity it will enter Earth's atmosphere within the next two hours."

"What is it?" Scott asked her. "Can we tell anything about it?"

"I did a size comparison as it passed Pluto to get an idea how large a vessel we're talking about." Dr. K continued. "It is easily the size of a small city."

"Do we know where it came from?" Scott asked her.

"Our scans do not extend far enough to tell that." She replied a little apologetically. "All I know for sure is it isn't from this solar system."

"So all we know is its big and it's coming this way!" Dillon snapped in frustration. "Am I the only one missing my Zord right around now?"

"Given the timing of its journey, and the rotation of the Earth, it should make touchdown at Corinth." Dr. K confirmed. "It will be here."

"The vehicle coming across the land is moving at an incredible speed." Gem added, reminding them of the other vehicle. "It will arrive at the city's Western border within the hour."

"I don't believe in coincidences. I think it's best to presume the two events are linked." Scott replied.

"You think they're coming to intercept it?" Summer asked him.

"Either that or meet with it." Scott replied. "The point is, it'll be arriving before the ship, so at least we have time to figure out what they want."

"So what's the plan?" Dillon asked him. Scott sighed and shook his head.

"Guys, until we know what this is, we have to tread carefully." Scott told them. "We have to presume that their motives might be aggressive."

"So we meet them in costume?" Dillon asked him.

"We just go to meet them." Scott corrected him. "But stay sharp and be ready for action."

He checked his watch, synchronising it with the countdown to when the first vehicle would arrive.

"Everyone take a minute to get ready. Meet back here in 15 minutes to move out." He instructed them. "Stay frosty guys."

With that, they all split off, making their own preparations. Ziggy flipped out his cell phone to call Tenaya, while Gem, Gemma and Dr. K went back to the main console to continue their analysis, hoping that they could ascertain something new about their source.

Scott was pulled aside by his father. The Colonel looked at him a little uneasily.

"I'm sorry son." He said gently. "I know you were looking forward..."

"I never wanted to rejoin Eagle Squadron." Scott sighed gently. "I just wanted all of this to be over."

"I know what it's like son." Colonel Truman assured him. "I know sometimes family...loved ones take a back seat in times of war. God knows I know..."

"I just...haven't had a chance to..." He stammered, trying to gather his thoughts. He watched Dr. K working, once again shutting herself into the single-minded routine that at one time he had admired about her, but now hurt him, reminding him of the horror of her life under Alphabet Soup. "I wanted this to be over for her too. To give her a normal life..."

"That's what we always want for those we love." Colonel Truman assured him. Scott noticed Summer and Dillon talking, standing close to each other, touching each other tenderly, and comforting each other in their time of crisis. "Flynn and Sam have moved in together. Summer and Dillon are doing the same. Ziggy..."

"The less said about that family the better." Scott said with a small laugh. "It's a scary thought what that household will be like."

"It doesn't seem fair does it?" Colonel Truman asked him. "You don't have the same."

"I have tried to talk her into believing things can be different." Scott informed him. "I tried to ask her to marry me."

"I take it that didn't go too well." Colonel Truman responded. Scott shook his head.

"We kind of got interrupted." He continued. "Before that though, I had a feeling she was trying to avoid the issue."

"She is complicated." Colonel Truman agreed. Scott watched as Dillon left the room, leaving Summer standing, her arms crossed, staring into space. "Summer was too, but she got through it."

"Summer wasn't..."

"You know what she went through. It might not have been the same, but the point is valid." Colonel Truman told his younger son, tapping his arm gently. "Don't give up on her. I'm confident it'll work out for you both."

Ziggy hung up the phone, smiling as he did so, coming over to Summer.

"Tenaya just got Alex off to sleep." He informed her. "I think he's inherited my ability to sleep through just about anything."

"He is lucky." Summer agreed. "You really are lucky to have him."

"I know you've taken a shine to him." Ziggy commented. "I saw what you've been like since you moved to the orphanage. All those kids around? It's been cute to watch."

"I haven't been that bad have I?" Summer asked him. "I like kids but..."

"Summer, sometimes the kids got tired and bored of the games before you did." He interrupted her with a small laugh. "Most people have trouble keeping up with them."

"I guess I have been a little bit of a scary aunt." She replied.

"I think you bypassed scary aunt about five exits back." Ziggy commented. "Have you and Dillon ever discussed...you know...?"

"Not seriously." Summer cut him off. "I wasn't exactly able to risk going on maternity leave while Venjix was around, and it isn't like we've had a lot of time to discuss that lately."

"Whoa, I only asked." He replied defensively. "I guess I was just wondering if you'd given any thought to joining the parent club."

"Ziggy, now really isn't the time to discuss it!" She snapped a little harshly. "In case you haven't noticed, we've just been called back into action..."

"Sorry I asked." Ziggy conceded. "I guess I didn't think about what it's like for you and Dillon."

"It's alright, I just...I guess I was kind of looking forward to retirement. A normal life you know?" She asked him. "It looks like my life's on the back burner again."

With that, she walked away, leaving Ziggy feeling a little bad about bringing up the subject. He had gotten the feeling that Summer was a little jealous of him and Tenaya before. Tenaya wasn't on the team, was never required in the field, and so her pregnancy had never taken anything away from the team. Summer on the other hand was now being pulled back into active duty. He wasn't sure if she wanted kids at this point in her life, but he was sure that she did at some point. The difference was, right now it wasn't even an option. She didn't have a choice in the matter, and that had to hurt.

"Guys, it's time." Scott told them. "Dad, can we borrow the Go-Onger?"

"Just as long as Flynn doesn't drive." He groaned, handing the keys to Dillon. "The last time I lent him the Go-Onger he ended up having to replace it."

"Alright guys, let's mount up!" Scott ordered them. "It's time to see who's coming to visit."

By the time the Rangers arrived on the outskirts of the city, the timer showed only about ten minutes until the land vehicle arrived. Scott and the others all dismounted, standing by the Go-Onger, waiting for the arrival.

"I see it." Flynn told them, looking through a set of binoculars. "It's just over that dune, and closing fast."

"Right guys, remember. Nobody make a move unless we have to." Scott instructed them, taking out his morpher. "The weapons should make the point without us needing to draw them."

The Rangers morphed as the vehicle came closer, by now visible, at least partly to the naked eye.

Dillon's hand strayed to his Nitro Blaster, hovering over the handle. He wanted to be ready in case an attack came, but he remembered what Scott had told him. While they were understandably jumpy, they didn't want to jump to conclusions. The vehicle finally approached close enough for them to see and skidded to a halt.

It was a large, heavily armoured transport vehicle, covered in dust and scorch marks. The side panel closest to them opened.

"Don't shoot, we mean you no harm." A female voice announced. The Rangers watched as a woman stepped out, holding her hands in the air so they could see she was not armed.

She was a little older than the Rangers, possibly in her late twenties or early thirties, with long brown hair which extended past her shoulders. She was wearing a grey uniform, slightly similar to the Corinth military uniform, though it was trimmed in red, and the letters SPD on the breast. She was followed by a man, slightly taller than her, similarly dressed, though his uniform was trimmed in blue. His hair was a little too long, and brown, though losing the battle to grey steadily. His beard and moustache blended into his hair.

"My name is Charisma. I'm with SPD Earth." She informed them. "This is my colleague Colin."

"What's SPD?" Flynn asked her. "Where did you come from?"

"New Tech." Colin answered. His accent was thick, and Scottish, though unlike Flynn's, his was from closer to Glasgow than the East Coast. "We managed to hold a bastion there."

The Rangers all looked around each other, a little surprised to hear this. There had been rumours since before the Dome went up, but now they had confirmation. Now they knew at least one other city had survived. There were other humans in the world.

"We should probably discuss this somewhere a little quieter." Charisma suggested. "Our blasters are attached to our belts and so are our morphers. You can take them as a sign of good faith that we mean you no harm."

"Morphers?" Summer asked her. "You're Power Rangers?"

"Like we said, maybe we should discuss this elsewhere." Charisma told them. "We understand your suspicions. We'll subject ourselves to any scans and tests you want to satisfy you we're on the level, but we have important business to discuss."

Scott looked around the Rangers, before finally making his decision. They hadn't made any moves, but the authorities had been concentrating on the needs of the city. No significant progress had been made to ensure that nothing of Venjix's forces was left in the wastes.

"Flynn, take their weapons. Gemma, scan them." He instructed his team mates. Flynn made his way over to them.

"Sorry to do this to a fellow countryman." Flynn said apologetically, taking Colin's weapons. "I never knew there was another Scottish Ranger."

"Unfortunately I was in one of the teams whose identities never became public knowledge." Colin replied.

Later, back at the Central Command building, Charisma and Colin were taken into the main room and shown to seats. The Rangers all took seats around a large, central table, keeping their eyes on the new arrivals, trying to assess them.

"Alright, so you said you're Rangers." Scott began, addressing Charisma. "I'm going to go with tradition and presume you're the leader."

"I'm the field leader. My commanding officer, Commander Cruger is back in New Tech." She informed them. "He sent Colin and me out here to act as envoys."

"Envoys?" Dillon asked her. "What like messengers?"

"Something like that." Charisma told him. "We're with SPD. It stands for Space Patrol Delta. Before the Venjix attacks, we were setting up in secret under sanction of the US Government."

"What for?" Ziggy asked. She looked at him and smiled.

"We were to become a new interstellar law enforcement agency." She told them. "We were planning to go public with that, and the knowledge of the existence of extraterrestrial life, but Venjix attacked before we could. We've been defending New Tech since then."

"Extraterrestrial life?" Scott asked her. He looked to the others, a little worried. It didn't take a brain surgeon to realise that these strangers arriving just before the ship was no coincidence. "There is..."

"We know about the ship." Colin interrupted him. "We were sent to meet it."

"Just two of you?" Dillon asked a little sceptically. "What's going on?"

"Since Venjix was destroyed, communications have come back up, and we've been able to reach further than we were before." Charisma explained as they continued with their story. "We've gotten distress signals from all over the world. It seems a lot more people have survived the war than we initially believed."

"They're also in dire need of help." Colin continued. "It seems remnants of Venjix's forces still exist, even though he is gone. There are also reports of other threats throughout the world. If we're going to reclaim the planet, to rebuild it, then we need help. As soon as interstellar communications were possible, we made a phone call."

"So this thing that's coming is friendly?" Scott asked them. Charisma nodded.

"Like I said, we were here to act as envoys, to ensure the landing takes place with as little panic as possible." She told him. "Since you know about it, I'm sure you know it's not exactly a small ship."

"They're bringing food, tools, building materials, heavy construction materials and labour." Colin told them. "They're here to help rebuild the city."

"So let me get this straight. Just a week after the invasion that destroyed most of the city, your brilliant idea it to fly a ship the size of a city directly over the city?" Dr. K asked them. "Didn't you think this would cause a panic?"

"That's why we came, to try and limit the problem." Charisma told them. "The ship needs to land as close to the city as possible. One of its functions is to act as an extension to the city. Many amenities and accommodation units are already built within it. Once it lands, it's staying."

"We only have half an hour to prepare for the landing." Scott told them. "Hicks, put out a call to the entire military. Order a curfew. Get everyone off the streets. End work for the day and get everyone inside but for God's sake don't tell them why. The last thing we need is a riot."

He turned back to them.

"So I guess we should probably thank you." Scott said gently. "I might have questioned the wisdom of this plan, but I can't say we don't need the help."

"We're planning to co-ordinate our efforts." Charisma told him. "There are a whole lot of people out there that will need help. Once we secure Corinth and New Tech, we're planning to go out and search for them."

"We'll help you in any way we can." Scott assured her. Dr. K seemed to shift a little uneasily in her seat as he said this. "If we're going to take back the world, we'll need to do it together."

Scott turned back to his team apologetically, well aware what he was asking of them. They had all been looking forward to making plans and getting on with their lives.

"I won't expect you all to do this, and I won't think any less of you if you want to leave." He told them. "But I know what I'm doing. I'm keeping my morpher."

Ziggy stood up.

"This morpher gave me the life I have now, and everything I've done has been to provide my family with a better world to live in." He replied. "I'll stay on the team and do anything I can."

"Sam isn't going to like this, but I'm in." Flynn interjected. Colin smiled at him.

"I knew I could count on a fellow Scot." He commented.

"We're..."

"...in." Gem and Gemma chipped in.

"I guess I'm in too." Dillon added. "What would you all do without me?"

Scott looked over to Summer, who was just staring at the table, not saying a word.

"Summer?" He asked her. She didn't answer. Dillon reached across tapping her arm to rouse her attention.

"Summer?" He repeated. She eventually looked up, realising everyone was staring at her. She nodded her head.

"Alright guys, I know what a sacrifice this is, but I have to thank all of you." He told them as he sat back down. Dr. K got up and left the room. Scott was about to follow her, but Charisma held up a hand.

"It's alright, I'll go." She told him. "I have a feeling I know what the problem is."

She followed her outside, finding the young doctor sitting on the pavement outside. Charisma sat next to her.

"You don't like me much do you?" Charisma asked her.

"I don't think whether or not I like you is relevant." Dr. K replied coldly. Charisma just sighed.

"SPD backs up data from all its member worlds on every outpost it has." Charisma informed her. "I know all about Alphabet Soup."

"You were so busy working for the Government that enslaved me for my entire life that you didn't even notice Venjix's corruption?" Dr. K asked her. "So much for defending us from the threats of the universe, you failed to save us from a threat from your own Government!"

"As I understand it, you released the virus." Charisma told her. "I also know why."

"I guess the Government keeps track of its own mistakes." Dr. K grumbled. Charisma shook her head.

"I don't expect you to believe me, but I can tell you that Alphabet Soup was nothing to do with the Government." She told Dr. K. "I'll show you the files when we get a chance. It'll prove everything."

"You just want..."

"I don't honestly care if you believe me or not, but it's true." Charisma interrupted her. "Alphabet Soup was run by a private corporation called the Macha Group. They mainly sold weapons to the US Government. SPD had gotten wind of its activities and was investigating it when Venjix attacked. We planned to take them down."

"Why would the US Government take down one of its chief weapons manufacturers?" Dr. K asked her. "It doesn't make sense."

"There are some crimes we will never tolerate." She replied. "I have something to offer you. I don't expect it to make you trust us right away, but I hope it helps."

With that, she pulled out a file disc. She then leaned in and whispered something in Dr. K's ear. The young woman looked up at her.

"That's your real name." Charisma informed her. "If you'll excuse me, we have to get ready to greet the ship."

"I still don't like you." Dr. K called after her. Charisma smiled.

"After believing that the Government I worked for kept you prisoner for your entire life, I'm not surprised you don't trust them or me." Charisma responded. "I just hope I can change your mind."

With that, she went inside, leaving Dr. K alone. She pondered the disk, wondering what, if any truth there was in what Charisma had said. Was it possible her life had been taken away for no reason other than profit? Was it possible that after all her years of wishing for it, this stranger, who she had no reason to trust had quite literally just handed her life back to her, given her the truth behind who she really was?

She put the disk away, watching as the Rangers and their new allies made their way out to the Go-Onger. Scott got into the cab, driving away to the edge of the city. Dr. K just got up and headed inside, completely at a loss as to what she should believe. Normally answers came so easily to her. Not now though. At this time, while the disk was right in her pocket, the answers to all her fears had never seemed so far away.


	12. Touchdown

Hicks was busy overseeing the last of the evacuation, while Vasquez stood dutifully by his side. They were working well as a team, just as Colonel Truman had always believed they would. Neither of them noticed that he wasn't actually doing anything, just sitting, watching them work, oblivious to the fact they were doing a marvellous job.

The Colonel had always intended to retire some day, and he was certain he had made the right choice in his lieutenants he had chosen to replace him. One of the mottos he always lived by was that those who sought power were rarely the ones that should get it. They had never desired promotion, afraid of the consequences of failure. It was that fear that had always kept him sharp, and ensured he always considered the options before going ahead with a difficult task. He was sure they would do well.

Chas was on the phone, talking to one of his many contacts. Despite the evacuation, they knew it was unlikely no one would notice a giant flying city coming down from orbit. Chas was already preparing a press statement for when the inevitable questions started to fly.

Dr. K meanwhile, had all but stopped working. She was still running scans, trying to update the odds of a safe landing for the immense ship. The thing that had played on her mind was a small icon in the corner of the screen. It was a link to the CD ROM drive. She had put the disk Charisma had given her into the computer, but she still hadn't found the courage to open it.

She had been told that this disk contained everything that was taken from her. It contained her real identity, from the moment she was born. The true reason she was chosen to be taken from her family. Most of all, it would let her know her purpose. Why she existed at all.

Checking her scan once more, she realised it hadn't shifted even slightly from her projection. 99.999 per cent chance of successful landing. Looking to the timer, she saw that there were now only 15 minutes until the ship arrived in their atmosphere. Checking to make sure that no one was watching her, already feeling guilty about satisfying her personal curiosity instead of keeping her mind on the task in hand, she clicked on the link.

Out in the wastes, the Rangers and their new allies waited for the first signs of the coming ship. Charisma was sitting in the cab of the Go-Onger, discussing something with Scott, while the others all waited outside. Summer was sitting a little way off, staring into space, while Dillon sat nearby. He had tried to put an arm around her, to comfort her, but she had rejected it. Ziggy wished there was something he could do to help. Summer had never been afraid to uphold her responsibilities, but he had a feeling that she was keen to get rid of them. She merely stayed out of a sense of duty. He wished he could find some way to ease her, but right now there was nothing he could do to help. If Dillon couldn't comfort her, then what chance did he have?

Flynn approached Colin, who was sitting with a flask, sipping something gently. The hint of steam coming over the lip of the container let him know it was hot.

"What's in the flask?" Flynn asked him. Colin just smiled, gesturing for the younger Scotsman to sit with him.

"It's oxtail soup." Colin informed him, offering him the flask. Flynn accepted it, grateful for the gesture. He noticed the ring on his finger. "Who's the lucky lady?"

"Her name's Sam. We got married a few weeks ago." Flynn informed him, thinking about her fondly. He handed him a picture.

"She's beautiful." Colin told him with a smile. "Any discussion about kids?"

"The discussion was pretty much one sentence." Flynn told him. "I'm pregnant."

"One of those ones eh?" Colin asked him. "It was a bit more round about for us."

"You mean you and Charisma...?" Colin showed him his own wedding ring. "It's been about ten years give or take. We have one boy, Callum."

"Let me guess, it was the accent." Flynn asked him. Colin chuckled and shook his head.

"Actually I questioned her, annoyed her and pissed her off. I won her the old fashioned, slightly difficult way." Colin told him. "I almost died for her a couple of times while we were part of the Vegas team. All things considered, I wish the accent had more of an effect."

"Not long now." Flynn sighed, thinking about the times he'd already had as a Ranger, and the times he was sure to have ahead. "If it breaks the mood, did you ever...mess with your team?"

"All the time." Colin chuckled. "Half the kids at school told me I spoke really good English!"

"They don't realise it's our first language, do they?" Flynn chuckled. "I had Ziggy convinced for about a month that a haggis..."

"...is an animal..."

"...with one long leg and one short leg..."

"...that runs around the hills in the highlands!" Colin concluded as they both laughed. "It was fun messing with them."

"I guess we can't make fun of the Yanks too much." Flynn remarked. "We did both end up married to Yanks."

"I guess that's true." Colin replied. "Of course the missus would kill me if she knew I was making fun of her."

"Well that's another thing we have in common." Flynn sighed. "Are all Scotsmen whipped when it comes to their relationships?"

"Only if they know what's good for them." Colin replied. "Heads up, here comes the aid workers."

Just then, an ominous rumble came from overhead. Dark clouds started to form, and the sky was tinged with red. A large, ominous shape descended from the heavens a couple of miles out from the city, in a slow moving arc heading their way. It was an impressive light show, but a terrifying thing to behold. The Rangers were now grateful the citizens were confined to their homes. Seeing this was something that cast fear over the stoutest of hearts.

"It's just coming through the atmosphere." Charisma assured them as it started to descend. By now everyone could feel the wind picking up as the vehicle descended into view. It was something of a crescent-moon shaped craft, made of a hard-wearing white metal, which was stained with debris and scorch marks. It flew over the city, casting an ominous shadow as it went.

In the orphanage, Tenaya was watching the kids with Bob while Helen started to prepare the late night meal. Ziggy had already called to explain what was happening, so they were keeping the kids away from the windows to keep them calm while the Rangers worked to bring in their new allies.

As Helen was preparing ingredients, she looked out, smiling as she watched her future daughter-in-law with the kids. While she would have understood if she concentrated on Alex, she was happy that she was making an effort, and appeared to be almost equally responsive to the other kids. She had accepted that part of being with Ziggy was accepting that the kids were his family as much as his parents and Alex. She was more than happy to talk to the kids, answer questions, show them her engagement ring when they kept pestering her about the upcoming wedding and diplomatically avoiding tear fests when the subject came to who could and would be doing what at the ceremony.

She muttered something under her breath that she would certainly put the kids in time out for as she realised that in her haste to put the dinner together she had forgotten how to make the garlic bread. Stooping down to the trash can, she opened the lid, opening it and beginning to search around for a wrapper to get the oven times.

As she pulled it out, something else was caught up in it. She disentangled it, and almost dropped it in shock as she realised what it was.

"Tenaya, can you come in here for a minute please?" She called through.

"Sure." She answered as she set Alex down in the play pen. She was only too comfortable to leave him with Bob, and his 'brothers and sisters'. She came through to the kitchen, finding Helen waiting for her. "So do you need a hand...?"

"Tenaya, sit down for a minute please." Helen began. Tenaya could sense that she had something she wanted to say, and it was likely something serious. She sat down slowly, looking up at her curiously. "Listen, I know the living arrangements haven't been the easiest lately..."

"Helen, I keep telling you, I don't mind the house being so crowded." Tenaya interrupted her. "I know it's a little hard at times, but I love it here."

Helen just let out a sigh and shook her head gently, beginning to walk around.

"I know it isn't easy and you don't have as much privacy as you'd like." She continued. "I'm not naive, I'm happy that you and Ziggy are so happy together, but I have all the kids to consider."

"The kids?" Tenaya asked her, a little confused. "What about the kids? Have we done something wrong?"

"Oh no, no not at all dear, don't ever think that!" Helen said soothingly, coming over to her and resting her hands on Tenaya's shoulders, stroking them gently. "I'm just asking you to remember that there are a lot of kids in here with little concept of privacy and none of the doors have locks."

"I'm sorry, I don't follow." Tenaya replied. Helen placed a used pregnancy test on the table in front of her.

"I'm just asking you to be mindful of the fact that kids are curious and be a little more subtle." Helen told her.

"Helen..."

"I doubt you planned this did you?" Helen asked her. "Does Ziggy know?"

"Helen..."

"It's alright..."

"Helen!" Tenaya said a little more forcefully to get her attention. Tenaya held it up. "This isn't mine."

"It's...not yours?" Helen asked, becoming a little embarrassed. "Are you sure?"

"Do you really need me to go into details?" Tenaya asked her a little sarcastically. "It isn't mine. Even if we were...thinking about that, I promise you, I respect your house and your rules too much."

"So if it isn't yours..." Helen's words tailed off, as she and Tenaya locked eyes, looking a little surprised as they figured out who it belonged to.

Outside the city, the temperature rose rapidly in the cold night as it hovered only a little way past the city, the inside curve at the rear of the craft appeared to match Corinth's circumference almost perfectly. As the ship descended, the RPM Rangers watched in awe. The structure seemed to be almost half the size of Corinth, extending its Northern zone by several square miles.

"Back in the mid nineties NASADA set up a space colony called Terra Venture and sent it on a mission to find a new world to evacuate humanity to should the world ever descend beyond repair." Charisma informed them. "They found it in Mirinoi. The SPD branch on that planet built this and one sister ship to aid Corinth and New Tech."

"Say hello to Terra Venture II." Colin added as the ship slowly descended, finally coming to rest comfortably at the edge of the city, and the coolant system activated, bringing the hull down to a safe temperature in minutes. "Now the newest extension of Corinth City."

The shields started to come down, revealing a ready-built city inside. As the shields finally completely disappeared, there was one man waiting inside to greet them.

He was wearing a long, black coat, with a badge indicating his rank, though his uniform was unfamiliar. His other lapel held a badge, also bearing the letters SPD. He was about the same size as Dillon, and had thick black hair. He was carrying a bottle of what appeared to be champagne. He approached Scott slowly, a smile crossing his lips.

"Charisma MacDougall I presume." He began, extending a hand and shaking hers. "How's Cruger?"

"He's a little busy over in New Tech. That's why he sent me." Charisma answered. "It's an honour to meet you Commander Corbett."

"The pleasure is mutual." He replied, before moving to Scott. "I take it you're the one running the show here. I'm Commander Mike Corbett, SPD Mirinoi."

"I'm Scott Truman, RPM Red Ranger." He introduced himself. "This is my team, Flynn, Summer, Ziggy and Dillon."

"It's a pleasure." He assured them. He was about to present the bottle to Scott, who held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm just here for the rendezvous; Mayor Winchester runs things in Corinth." Scott corrected him. "We have a vehicle here to take you to the Command Centre."

"Show the way!" Mike replied, making his way with them towards the Go-Onger. "We have a lot to discuss."

Back at the orphanage, Tenaya and Helen were sitting alone in the kitchen, still trying to digest what they had found out. Tenaya checked the test again.

"It's positive alright." She sighed.

"If she only just took a test, then it's unlikely..."

"I really don't need the mental image." Tenaya cut her off. "The walls in here aren't that thick, and I can tell you, they respect your rules the same as me and Ziggy."

"It would take at least a month for her to get any symptoms she'd notice and take a test." Helen interjected. "That means it happened before..."

"Before the final battle." Tenaya replied with a slow shake of the head. "She was always so careful. She didn't want to take any risks..."

"Mistakes can be made." Helen reminded her, casting her eyes towards the door where Alex and the other kids were still playing.

"That's a cheap shot." Tenaya said, a little smile crossing her face at the comment. "I guess you're right though."

"That just leaves one question." Helen said, taking the test from her. "Does Dillon know?"

Just then, the door opened and Bob poked his head around the door.

"Helen, unless you want some serious tears before bedtime, I'd suggest you hurry up with dinner." He told them. "Joey's already starting to chew some of the toys to see if any of them are edible."

"Tell them all to come in." Ms. Foster replied with a smile, putting the test away where none of the kids would find it. "Tenaya, would you give me a hand serving?"

"Sure." She replied, making her way to the sink behind her. After washing their hands, they went to the cooker to begin serving. As Tenaya started ladling pasta out into bowls, she could only think of one thing. What was Summer thinking?

Over at the Central Command building, Mike was escorted into the main room, where Chas, Colonel Truman, Hicks and Vasquez were waiting. Chas stepped forward, shaking Mike's hand.

"Chas Winchester, Mayor of Corinth City." He introduced himself.

"Mike Corbett, commander of SPD Mirinoi." He replied. He handed over the bottle. "This is just a small token..."

"I appreciate it." Chas assured him. "Vasquez, would you mind finding some gl..."

"I'll do it." Colonel Truman interjected, and left before anyone could object. He didn't want Vasquez to slide back into her habit of taking menial tasks. If she was going to accept her new position, it was best that she grew used to being around the big events.

"So, I take it you're the one we have to thank for all this aid." Chas replied.

"We're just sorry we couldn't get it out sooner." Mike replied, taking a seat by the conference table. "We only managed to get the call through recently. We had some idea of what was happening, but there was no way we could risk bringing ships in while Venjix was blocking our signals."

"We understand completely. We're just grateful you could bring this now." Chas replied. "The citizens in temporary accommodation will be grateful."

"Our construction crews can begin work in the morning." Mike informed them. "I'd advise your own crews to stand down."

"Surely having both crews on it would only..."

"Our crews are Thesonians." Mike interrupted him. "I think they might take some getting used to for your citizens so soon after the invasions."

"You brought aliens in to rebuild the city?" Dillon asked him.

"Thesonians are arguably the best artisans and builders in existence." Mike informed him. "The average Thesonian is easily capable of lifting and carrying three tons. With a human construction crew, the complete re-build would take months. With a Thesonian crew, the city will be back to normal within the next three to four weeks."

"I guess that makes sense." Chas replied. "Hicks, hand out the order. The construction crews are to give full control of the rebuild to the Thesonians. They can concentrate their efforts on other essential tasks."

"I'm on it." Hicks responded.

"I have SPD officers here to help with the military's duties." Mike continued. He turned to Hicks. "I have no desire to overstep my boundaries; the security of the city will be under your jurisdiction. I'll instruct my officers to report directly to you."

Hicks was about to correct him, but looked around, noticing the Colonel still hadn't returned with the glasses. He felt his jaw clenching as he noticed this. He was only just beginning to realise he was trying to force him to accept such tasks so he would prove to himself he was up to replacing him as Colonel.

"Now that we've made the introductions, we should probably be heading back to New Tech." Charisma told them. "Our own team needs us."

"There's a crew rebuilding New Tech, and another rebuilding Corinth." Mike told them. "With that in mind, it will free up your teams to the task of searching for more colonies."

"If we work together, we can finally bring this world back." Chas told them as the Colonel arrived back, beginning to pour glasses and hand them out. He held his glass up, proposing a toast. "To the New World!"

"To the New World!" They all chorused back. After clinking glasses and exchanging pleasantries as they had a drink, Scott suddenly noticed Dr. K was not among them.

He searched around, noticing her by a console in the corner. He came over to her, putting his arm around her, setting a glass down next to her.

"I thought you'd want to..." His words tailed off as he noticed a tear rolling down her face. He wiped it away with his thumb. "What's wrong?"

She just pointed to the screen. He looked up, seeing a copy of a birth certificate on the screen.

"Sarah Marie Jackson?" He asked.

"According to this, the conspiracy theorists were right that the Government kept a genetic database. They took a sample from children when they gave them their shots in infancy since the late nineties." Dr. K explained. "Charisma gave me this. This is my birth certificate."

"That's your real name?" Scott asked her, smiling a little. He kissed her cheek. "That's nothing to feel bad about..."

"Alphabet Soup was not a government agency as I was originally led to believe." She interrupted him, scrolling through the files. "It was part of a private business called the Macha Group. They were under investigation until the attacks. SPD were going to bring them down."

"Then they..."

"Their records show I was taken on the 17th May." Dr. K continued. "Three days before, 100,000 dollars was paid into my parent's bank account by the Macha Group."

"Dr. K..."

"I wasn't kidnapped. I was sold." Dr. K whimpered as Scott held her tightly. "My parents sold me!"


	13. The Night Before Departure

The Colonel and the Rest of the military left the Garage, leaving the Rangers to prepare for their journey into the wastes in search of new colonies and settlements. Vasquez had done some scans, but Hicks had decided that it was best that they leave the briefing until they were ready to go. The soldiers who stayed in the base now had all been sent to give the Rangers and their families time to be together and say their goodbyes.

Mike had also gone back to his own Command Centre to give them privacy. Tenaya and Alex were sitting in one corner, giving Ziggy a chance to just hold Alex and play with him one last time before he left. He knew that they would occasionally go back to Corinth, but he was also realistic about the fact that they had no idea how long it would be before he could come back to them. He didn't want to think about the fact that it was possible he wouldn't come back at all.

Summer and Dillon were over by the table, sitting closely, whispering to each other, though it seemed a lot more intent and forced than it usually was. Summer just sat, gently twirling her barely-touched first glass of champagne as she looked into his eyes. Dillon ran his hand through her hair, grateful to have at least this level of contact with her. He didn't know why, but from the second she had realised they were being called back into action, something bothered her. She had naturally been afraid before battles before, but her fear never got the better of her. She always managed to hold it together and come through when the punches started flying. He knew that there was something she wasn't telling him.

Flynn was sitting with a noticeably upset Sam, holding her in his arms and rocking her gently as he whispered in her ear, reassuring her and holding her stomach softly. It pained him to think that he might miss the birth of his first child. Although he knew the importance of his work, he wanted what any father wanted. He wanted what he had seen Ziggy have with Alex. He wanted to hold his child, play with and raise it. He wanted to help with homework, as much as he could despite knowing Sam would easily be the more useful in that capacity. He wanted to teach his child to ride its first bike, to see it fall in love. Like Ziggy it pained him to think of all the things he could miss out on.

Gem had gone into a room to be alone. No one really knew what he was doing, but they understood why. Gemma had gone to be alone with Hicks. They had a lot to discuss.

Meanwhile Dr. K was sitting with Scott, staring into a collection of printouts from the file Charisma had given her. He had also taken her into a side-room for privacy while they discussed her torment. Tears ran down her face and her hands shook, her grip tight on the paper wrinkling it.

"Dr. K..."

"Sarah!" She snapped as Scott finally started to try and say something. "My name is Sarah!"

"Alright, if that's what you want, I'll call you Sarah." Scott assured her. "Sarah, please talk to me."

"I guess not many people ever find out how much they really mean to their parents." She hissed bitterly as she pulled out the bank statement. "100,000 dollars. That's all it took for mom and dad to cast me away."

"Sarah..."

"I remember everything about that day!" She snarled, rounding on him. "I remember playing on my tricycle on the street. I remember the fact that it was warm, very warm. There was no wind, so it was barely comfortable, but I loved the tricycle so much, I ignored the heat."

She wiped her eyes and looked up to the ceiling.

"I knew even then there was something different about me. I saw things in a way no other kids did. While other kids were watching patronising television presenters telling them how to count, I had already figured out how the guy in Los Angeles was appearing on my screen across the country." Dr. K told him. "While some kids played with E-Z bake ovens, I had already taken mine apart and was figuring out how to improve it and make it work in seconds." Scott laughed a little hearing this last point.

"I guess it's just as well you didn't have access to parts when you were four." Scott replied. "With your sweet tooth..."

"I remember when that other girl handed me the chalk. She had just drawn a crude picture of a house, but that's not what I saw." She continued. "I started writing down all the equations in my head. It wasn't long before the people in suits came to collect me."

"Sarah..."

"I screamed when they grabbed me." Dr. K whispered, the day coming to her in detail. "When the man grabbed me, I kicked and I screamed, I screamed so hard but nobody came. I was screaming..."

"You were screaming for your mom." Scott interrupted her as her words tailed off. Dr. K nodded sadly, sniffing back some more tears.

"At first I blamed them for not being there." She told him. "In time as I thought about the incident, I started to work through it logically. I just thought I had gone too far, that mom and dad hadn't seen or heard me being taken away. I used to think about them, imagine them worrying about me, searching for me...I used to dream that one day they'd find me and bring me back home." She threw the reports onto the bed.

"No police report was ever filed." Dr. K snapped. "I guess now I know why they never found me. They weren't even looking!"

"Sarah, I can't imagine what that feels like." He said comfortingly as he put an arm around her. "I had problems with my dad, but I knew he'd always stand with me."

"The Macha Group bought me and turned me into...THIS!" She grumbled, hitting herself in the chest with her hand. "A socially inept, intellectually superior, morally ambiguous..."

"You are NOT morally ambiguous!" Scott interrupted her sharply, turning her to face him and looking her straight in the eyes. "I'm not sure what ambiguous means, but you have shown me nothing but goodness..."

"I created all those weapons for years. I knew exactly what they would do!" Dr. K reminded him.

"You had no choice, and you created them believing they would be used to defend our country." He answered her. "You had no idea what Alphabet Soup was."

"Do you want to know the REAL reason Alphabet Soup was making me create Venjix?" Dr. K asked him. "It's all right here!"

"Dr. K..."

"They were creating the Ranger Technology, and knew it was powerful. They wanted to sell it, but to drive the price up they needed an enemy only the Ranger Rigs could destroy!" She told him, grabbing another report and shoving it into his chest. "They planned to release Venjix on purpose. I just unleashed it too early. I released it before we perfected the technology."

"They were going to unleash Venjix?" Scott asked her. She nodded.

"I destroyed the world, all because some big shot in a suit wanted to get rich." She said in a long sigh. "All of this..."

"This was never your fault, you have to remember that." Scott told her. "You were trying to escape. If you'd put up that firewall, Venjix would have been restricted to Alphabet Soup."

"But..."

"What if you had succeeded?" He asked her. "Like you said, all they saw was the potential for profit. If you had escaped, do you really think they'd have given up on it?"

Dr. K fell silent as she considered this. The Macha Group had taken such a cavalier attitude to human life, it was doubtful they would have passed up the most devastating weapon since the nuclear weapon. They would have hunted the world to find her and bring her back, exhausted every resource at their disposal in the search. According to the files, the Macha Group was estimated to be worth over 900 billion dollars. Even if they had spent every penny of that, once Venjix and the Ranger technology had been perfected, they would have earned that back an infinite number of times. With them being the only ones capable of defeating Venjix, they would have been able to name their price, and the world would pay.

"You were the only one who knew what Venjix was. You were the only one who had a hope of destroying it." He reminded her. "They would never have allowed you to go free."

"One way or another they were going to release Venjix." She told him. "It seems like no matter what I do, I would have been the one to destroy everything."

"You never had a choice." Scott reminded her. "Of course you did have a few choices. You chose to send out that warning. You chose to set up project Ranger. You chose to fight with everything you have to set things right."

He pulled closer to her, stroking her hair gently as he looked at her.

"You are not what they made you. You chose what you became, and I'm not talking about the clothes or the hair." He assured her. "Dr. K, Sarah, I really don't care what you want me to call you now. You are, and will always be the woman I fell in love with."

With that, he pulled her in, kissing her passionately. Dr. K parted from him a little way, biting her lip.

"Scott, there's something I want to ask you." She told him. "You know what I said about marriage before..."

"I know you aren't wild about the idea." Scott replied.

"No, that's not it at all. I want to, I was just nervous." She said quietly. "This whole thing terrifies me. We both know the risks in the new..."

"Sarah..."

"I know that it's illogical. I know that it's only a promise, just words that are spoken which could have no statistical influence on your probability of survival..." She tailed off and shook her head, pounding a fist into the bed. "Damn it, why do I always slip into thinking like that? Summer makes all this stuff look so easy..."

"Dr. K..." He began. "Sarah, it's alright. Just relax."

Scott held her hand softly and turned her face towards him, making her look into his eyes. He smiled at her.

"Don't over think it. Just look at me, and say what you want to say." He told her. "Just say the first thing that comes to your mind."

"I think I might feel more at ease with you leaving, like I know you'd come back to me if." She paused for a second, taking a breath as a tear rolled down her face. "If you agreed to marry me, I feel like you'd have a reason to come back."

"I'd always have had a reason to come back." Scott assured her, kissing her softly. "I would be honoured to."

Dr. K leapt across at him, tackling him off the bed, hugging him tightly in her excitement. As she lay on top of him, looking down on him as they both laughed nervously, she started to slowly lean over, and kissing him with a passion she had never felt before. Scott watched as she got up, making her way slowly to the door, before flicking on the lock.

Out in the main room, Dillon kissed Summer softly as he went to get something to drink. Tenaya handed Alex to Ziggy, before making her way over. Summer looked up at her and smiled.

"Tenaya..."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tenaya asked her aggressively. Summer looked up at her a little hurt.

"What...?"

"Helen and I found the test." Tenaya interrupted Summer in her indignation. "I know you're pregnant."

Summer looked completely stunned by this, but the way her eyes grew wide gave her away. She had only taken the test the day before, but since then, things had gone out of control. She'd barely had time to digest the information herself.

"I'm guessing you haven't told Dillon yet." Tenaya chastised her sister-in-law.

"Tenaya, please..." Her words tailed off as she tried to straighten out her thoughts.

"How did this happen?" Tenaya asked her.

"I was always careful. I knew the team needed me. I knew I couldn't risk..." She found her words tailing off as she cast her mind back over it. "A few weeks ago, I realised I had forgotten to take my pill. I didn't think anything about it at the time; I just started back on it." She wiped away a tear gently. "A couple of days ago, I was late."

"When did you take the test?" Tenaya asked her.

"I took the test yesterday." She informed her sister-in-law. "I was so excited; all I wanted was to tell Dillon, but then..."

"This all happened." Tenaya replied.

"I don't know what to do." Summer whimpered. "I want to tell him, I just wanted a normal life, but I know..."

"Summer, you can't possibly be thinking of doing this." Tenaya interrupted her. "Are you trying to lose the baby?"

"How could you possibly think that?" Summer asked her, clearly hurt by the question. "I want this baby more than anything!"

"Then you can't do this." Tenaya told her.

"You knew about Alex while you were substituting for Dillon." Summer reminded her. Tenaya shook her head.

"The difference is, I knew that was temporary." She replied. "We don't know how long this is going to take."

"That's exactly why I want to go." Summer told her. "I...I want Dillon to be with me through this. I don't want to go through this by myself."

"What do you think he's going to say when he finds out?" Tenaya asked her. Summer hung her head low.

"He'd tell me to stay." Summer replied. "He'd try to talk me into staying behind."

"No one's going to blame you for putting the baby first." Tenaya told her. "You need to tell the others. You can't risk this. You'd never forgive yourself if anything happened to the baby."

"But..."

"Let me put it this way. If you don't tell Dillon then I will." Tenaya stated abruptly. "He has a right to know."

"I suppose I wouldn't be able to keep it secret for long anyway." Summer responded morosely as she thought about it. She had a weak laugh as she thought of something. "I don't know if the nano fibre would stretch far enough anyway."

"There's a thought." Tenaya chuckled, conceding to the mental image. "I guess the suit wouldn't really be that flattering."

Just then, Tenaya looked up, seeing Dillon coming back with a couple of mugs of hot chocolate. She smiled at Summer. "Now's your chance."

As she left, leaving them with as much privacy as they could get in the conference room. Dillon put the mug down in front of Summer.

"Mini marshmallows?" Summer asked him, noting the little sweets floating on the surface of her drink. "You better hope Dr. K doesn't find out."

"I think I can risk it." He replied. "I mean, we leave tomorrow. By the time she finds out, we'll be miles away."

"Um...yeah, I have to talk to you about that." Summer replied gently, taking his hand. "Dillon, I need to tell you something. I won't be going."

"You're not going?" He asked her.

"Dillon, I can't go with you. I can't risk anything happening." She told him. "Dillon, I'm pregnant."

Dillon sat, staring at her for a moment, making her feel a little uneasy. She could tell that he was surprised, that much was obvious in his expression, but she just couldn't read how he had taken it. After a couple of moments, she couldn't take it any longer, she finally spoke up.

"Dillon, please say..."

He didn't reply in words. He just took her into his arms, kissing her enthusiastically, before hugging her tightly. He couldn't believe that he could be so happy after hearing that she wouldn't be going with him. He parted from her a little way, smiling brightly.

"Are you sure?" He asked her. She nodded.

"I've only taken one of those over-the-counter tests, I haven't seen a doctor yet, but I'm pretty sure." Summer told him, grinning through tears of joy. "We're having a baby."

Meanwhile, in another room, Gemma was sitting with Hicks. She had gone into one of the rooms with him, taking the champagne with them. He poured them each another glass.

"There's something I want to talk to you about." He began, putting his arm around her. "I'm thinking of taking the Colonel up on his offer. I'm thinking of taking the job."

"That's great Hicks." She replied, looking into her glass. He didn't seem to notice that she was a little quiet. He took a sip of his champagne.

"Before today I never thought I'd feel like I was up to it." He admitted. "After what happened with Venjix, I never wanted that kind of responsibility."

"I'm glad you finally see what we've all been telling you." Gemma told him. "Vasquez seemed to handle it all pretty well too."

"She was great. I don't know if I'd have done it without her." Hicks agreed. "I'm going to talk to her. If she steps up too, I'll definitely take the job."

He pulled in closer, putting his arm around her. She really wished he hadn't done that. It sent the same shiver down her spine it always had. Her heart raced at his touch. It was only going to make this harder.

"The job comes with certain perks of course." He continued. "I'll get priority on the comm links. We'll be able to..."

"Hicks, could you just...listen to me for a minute?" Gemma asked him as she took some more champagne. She set down her glass and took his hands in hers. Hicks reached up, cupping her cheek and pulled into a soft kiss. Gemma just pulled away. "Hicks, I'm serious. Could you just listen for a minute?"

She looked away from him, unable to look him in the eyes as she prepared to begin.

"Hicks, there's no easy way..."

"Gemma, please don't say it." He begged her, putting down his own glass. He held her chin, trying to lift her face to look into his eyes. "You can't want this."

"I don't want to say this. It hurts more than anything else I've ever had to do." She whimpered. "You know as well as I do that there's no guarantee when I'll be back, or even..." She paused, not wanting to think about it, but more out of the thoughts of Hicks having to lose another woman he loved.

"Gemma, I love you." He told her, tears already beginning to form in his eyes. "I'm begging you, please reconsider."

"It isn't going to change anything Hicks." Gemma sobbed, wiping her nose with her wrist. She was finally able to look into his eyes. "You're going to be too busy here. I'm going to be out there. It isn't going to work. It's just going to tear us apart."

She held his hand to her face, struggling to find the strength to continue. He was the first man she had ever loved, but she was also painfully aware that the relationship was still young. Being separated for so long at such an early stage would only result in them growing apart. As much as it tore her heart in two, she wanted to spare them both the pain of a slow, inevitable end to their relationship.

"As much as it hurts now, you know what I'm saying's right. We'll just grow apart. We'll end up resenting each other. I couldn't bear that." She told him. "It's best we just end it now."

Hicks looked to her one more time, wordlessly begging for her to change his mind, but in his heart he knew she had a point. Neither of them was sure what to expect from their relationship. They hadn't been together for very long. Eventually, she pulled off his dog tags.

"Just make me one promise, and I'll not say any more about it." He sighed, looking at the dog tags. "I want you to have these. Bring them back to me one way or another. Promise me that you'll not just accept this as the end. Promise me that you'll believe that if we're going to work out, then we'll find our way back to each other."

Gemma just nodded her head sadly. Hicks put the dog tags around her neck, before kissing her cheek. He looked into her eyes once more, feeling every inch of his heart breaking. The door suddenly flew open, and Gem bounded in excitedly.

"Guys, there's been huge news! Summer's pregnant!" He screamed, firing a party popper into the room. "Come on out, we're celebrating!"

"That's amazing news." Hicks replied, wiping away a tear. "We'll be right out."

Gem turned and rushed back out into the main room. Hicks got up and made his way to the door, turning back to face Gemma.

"Are you coming?" He asked her. Gemma slipped the dog tags inside her t-shirt, feeling the metal still warm from his skin. She wiped her eyes dry and joined him, taking his arm one last time.

"Let's go." She sighed, before forcing a smile as she went to celebrate with her friends.


	14. The Time Arrives

The following morning, Dillon woke up finding Summer still resting in his arms comfortably, quietly sleeping. Since finding out that they were expecting a child, he found himself a little conflicted. He wanted to stay behind with Summer, to see her as the child grew and developed, and most of all, he wanted to be there when the child was born.

He had spoken with Summer long into the night after the celebration, discussing all their options. Despite their deepest wishes, they had only come to one conclusion. As hard as it was, they were going to have to face being apart. Dillon would be needed for the missions to find and liberate lost colonies. Summer couldn't go now that they knew she was pregnant; they couldn't take the risk that her condition would make them vulnerable in the field.

So they had no option but to accept the fact that for the time being at least, they had no choice but to separate. Much like Flynn and Sam, they would have to make do with the knowledge that he could return between missions. Until the baby was born at least, there was no way Summer could risk joining them in the field.

She looked so beautiful to him as she slept. She was so peaceful; the only sound reaching him was her soft, warm breath. He stroked her hair gently as he watched her, thankful for his luck in finding her. She was everything he had ever wanted and more. He looked to his watch and sighed as he realised that it would only be another few hours until he had to get ready to leave with the others. As much as he wanted to talk with her, to spend more time with her before they left, he didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, he lay back down on the pillow, holding her gently. He could swear he saw her lips twitching into a little smile as he did this. He only had a few hours until he had to leave her, and he was going to make them count. This was exactly where he wanted to be.

Scott came into the main room of the Command Centre with Dr. K, stretching himself awake as he came to the conference table where a breakfast service was already being put on for them. Hicks and Mike were in the room with a creature that was clearly not human, obviously one of the Thesonians Mike had told them about.

As they approached, they could see why Mike had warned them that the citizens might be unnerved by them. The one he was talking to appeared to be around eight feet tall, though looked like it would be closer to ten feet if it wasn't hunched over. It had a huge, muscular, powerful frame that looked like it had to weigh close to five hundred pounds, covered in an unnatural, pale blue flesh. Its legs were thick and ended with bare feet with two finger-like appendages both to the front and back, that looked like they were as dexterous as fingers. On its upper body, it had four arms, each with hands the size of a man's head, each with four fingers. Its head was broad, and looked solid, though its pure black eyes held a hint of intelligence that belied its savage appearance. Its mouth was full of flat, stubby teeth, indicating it was herbivorous. It let out a few unintelligible grunts and snorts as it saw them. Mike seemed to respond in kind before turning to them.

"It's alright, Hilax here was just saying hello." He assured them, gesturing them over. Scott noticed him wearing a device that looked a little like a communicator clipped to his ear, with the mouthpiece coming down his right jaw line. He handed one each to Scott and Dr. K. "These are universal translators. They'll translate any language from within SPD's jurisdiction into a pre-set language. For your convenience, I've set these to translate into English."

"I guess this does save some hassle." Scott commented, clipping on his translator.

"Well it's that or the Anubis Cruger method and just learn all the languages of our member worlds." Mike responded.

"How many languages are there?" Dr. K asked out of curiosity. Mike just smiled.

"About 14,000." He answered. "Hilax, this is Scott, he'll be leading the expedition teams, and this young woman is Dr. K."

"She is the artisan who designed these systems?" He asked them, gesturing to the consoles all around. Scott was a little stunned at first, but soon got used to the device. So long as he was looking directly at Hilax, his native tongue was translated instantaneously into English. "But she is a child."

"I am not a child!" She snapped back at the creature. Its brows raised, clearly taken aback by her speaking to it so harshly.

"I apologise if I caused any offence." Hilax conceded, causing Scott to give a small sigh of relief. He didn't know how he was going to react to Dr. K. Clearly he was more upset at having offended her than angry at her snapping at him. "I merely meant to say it is unusual to find one of your species so accomplished so young."

"That's Dr. K alright; she's one of a kind!" Scott said happily, putting his arm around her. Hilax smiled at the display, or, at least Scott presumed it was a smile, though he wasn't sure.

"I am Hilax, the Khalikam of the build team." He introduced himself, extending a hand. Scott took it, feeling a powerful grip that felt like it was capable of crushing stone had he wanted. "I believe your word for it is...foreman."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Scott told him, retrieving his hand. Hilax repeated the gesture with Dr. K. "So your team is starting on the re-build today?"

"We started two hours ago." Hilax said with a hint of pride in his voice. "I merely came to confirm the blueprints with Colonel Hicks and Commander Mike."

"It's only 8 AM." Dr. K responded.

"It's alright; the citizen's accommodation is nowhere near the construction." Mike assured her.

"If you'll excuse me Commander, I must get back to my crew." Hilax told him, gathering the blueprints. "Without me there, they are under the direction of my son. He is a gifted artisan, but his work ethic troubles me."

As he left, Dr. K looked like she was going to say something, but Mike stopped her.

"The Thesonian work ethic is a little different. They average 18 hour work days." He assured her. "If he said his son's work ethic is troubling, he probably means he's taking a break."

"I see what you meant when you said they were an ideal construction crew." Scott remarked, looking to the door where Hilax had just left. "I also see what you mean when you say the citizens might find them a little scary."

"They look scary, but really they're harmless." He assured them. "By nature they're pacifists."

"Anyway, I have Vasquez sorting out the vehicles ready for you going." Hicks told him. "They're fully fuelled and ready to go."

"So all we have left to do is have the final briefing." Scott sighed, looking round to Dr. K. He wished he could stay longer, but they knew that the colonies they knew of, the ones that had sent out distress signals, had been isolated without aid since before the shields had gone up. They had to get out and help as many people as they could, while they could. He turned back to Hicks and Mike. "Have the Rangers rallied and ready for briefing in an hour."

In their room, Ziggy was enjoying spending the last of his few remaining hours before leaving with his son and his fiancée. Tenaya sat in the corner, playing with her engagement ring and smiling contentedly as she watched him holding Alex, singing to him softly. She didn't want to interrupt, being well aware of the fact they weren't sure how long he'd be gone.

Ziggy laid him down gently in his crib, alongside a plush green dolphin that he had bought him. He saw his son lying on his back, his little chest rising and falling with his gentle breaths. His lips moved a little, and his fingers seemed to twitch, indicating that he was dreaming of something.

A soft knock came on the door, and Hicks came in, causing them to look round. He looked a little apologetic.

"Sorry to interrupt, but the vehicles are ready." He informed them. "Scott wants you all in the briefing room at 9AM."

"We'll be there." Ziggy assured him. As Hicks left, Tenaya put her chin on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him as he looked down into the crib.

"Do you want me to take him to the briefing?" She asked him. "I know it's the last chance..."

"There's no point disturbing his sleep for that." Ziggy told her. "It's best he gets his rest while he can."

"At least we managed to talk Summer around." Tenaya commented. Ziggy nodded in response.

"Tenaya, I meant it you know." He told her. She looked at him a little puzzled, at which he tapped her engagement ring. "I really want us to be a proper family."

"Ziggy, we are a proper family." She told him. "I can wait for you."

"I just wish you didn't have to." He responded. "I wish we could have done this first."

"Think of it this way." She told him. "It just gives you something else to look forward to."

Ziggy smiled as she said this, drawing her in and kissing her softly. He turned his gaze back down to Alex.

As 9 O'clock came, the Rangers slowly assembled in the main conference room. Hicks and Mike were already seated, waiting for them. They all made their way to empty seats around the table, sitting down in silence.

"As you all know, the reconstruction of the city has already begun." Scott began with the briefing. "The Thesonians are already well under way."

"I'll stay here with them and my additional support staff, until the repairs are made to the city." Mike assured them.

Gemma sat, not really listening to this part of the briefing. While she knew that the rebuilding of the city was as important as their reclaiming of other cities, all she wanted to think about was the task at hand. Of course a large part of that was also down to Hicks.

She tried not to, but she would still cast the occasional glance his way. It pained her to leave him, but she was sure that if she hadn't done what she had, hadn't ended their relationship, then they would only grow apart. She couldn't bear not to have him in her life at all.

"As you know, Summer is no longer going to be available in the field for the foreseeable future." Scott told them. Summer forced a little smile as he said this. She was in two minds about it. While she was thrilled at the prospect of motherhood, it meant that she was going to be forced to watch Dillon go without her. She took out her morpher, handing it back to Dr. K. "We all wish her the best."

Dillon hugged her gently, taking advantage of one of the last opportunities to do so.

"Now that we've all finished with the pleasantries, it's time to hand out the first assignments." Scott continued as he started to pace the room. He looked to Dr. K sadly. It wasn't ideal that he had to go so soon after she had made the terrible discoveries about her life. He knew she was having difficulty adjusting to the new knowledge. The truth had been cruel to her in this instance. While it gave her back her identity, it also brought with it the knowledge that she had been quite literally sold out by the very people who should have cared for her the most. All he could hope was that she would confide in the others and they could help her when he couldn't. "We've prioritised all the signals we've received on a system taking into account, not only geographical distance, but also the age of the signal in the hopes we don't reach them too late."

"Gem, Gemma and Ziggy. The three of you are to take the VTOL jet." Dr. K instructed them, pulling up a holographic display of the field map. "We received a signal 579 miles south west of the city. If you take the jet, it shouldn't take you long to arrive."

"We'll check it out." Ziggy assured her, turning to Gem and bumping fists with him. Gemma just nodded in understanding, finally listening now that the briefing had turned to what she was to do.

"Dillon, Flynn and I will take a land APC and track a signal originating from this region north of the city." Scott continued with the briefing. He rested his hands on the table and leaned over, looking at the Rangers all one last time. "We move out in ten minutes. Good luck guys."

With that, they all got up from the table, heading towards the vehicle hangar. Hicks hung back a little, watching from a distance. Scott kissed Dr. K passionately as he got to the APC.

"I'll be back as soon as I can Sarah." He whispered to her, respecting her privacy. So far, she hadn't had a chance to confide in any of the others about the contents of the report. Scott got in, making his way to the driver's seat. Flynn got in next, leaving only Dillon to enter.

He took Summer by the hands and looked into her eyes.

"Take care Summer." He instructed her softly, leaning in and kissing her gently. She just nodded in answer to this. "Take care of the baby."

With that, he slowly got into the back, releasing her reluctantly, before closing the side door. The engine fired up, and the vehicle pulled away, leaving the Command Centre. Summer wrapped her arms around herself defensively as her tears started to form. Tenaya came to her, hugging her as she watched the man she loved disappear into the distance, with no idea when he would come back.

Gem got into the VTOL, waving to the others as he made his way to the cockpit. Ziggy then turned to Tenaya, cupping her hand with his cheek.

"We'll get that wedding as soon as I get back, I promise." He assured her. Tenaya nodded, confident that if he promised it, then he would do everything in his power to make that happen. He got into the back, strapping himself into the seat there.

Gemma made her way up the ramp, stopping and turning back one last time as she went. Scanning around, she finally caught sight of Hicks in the background, standing with Vasquez, preparing for their departure.

He lifted his hand up, waving at her. She smiled in response, waving back, before turning and heading into the vehicle, strapping herself in.

Gem flicked a few switches, preparing the take-off procedure before closing the back entrance. Gemma gave one long, last look out as the hatch slammed shut with a heartbreaking finality, shutting the man she loved on the other side.

As the roof opened up, allowing them to rise slowly, Ziggy caught a look at Gemma's face, seeing tears running down her cheeks.

"Is everything alright Gemma?" He asked her, a concerned look crossing his face. Gemma just nodded.

"I'll be fine." She lied as her hand strayed to her chest. Her fingers started to gently stroke where the dog tags were hanging just under her shirt. The metal was warm, and felt strangely good against her skin. As she ran her fingers over it, she could feel the indentations of his name stamped onto the steel.

Seeing the light flooding in as they finally cleared the building, Gemma leant back in her seat, staring at the ceiling as she held the dog tags softly in her hand. Her tears ran a little more freely now as she thought about him. It hurt just to think about him, but having that little piece of him near her was the only thing she needed.

Fin

A/N: This is the end of this story, but I am planning more RPM. The next story will be more of a serialised continuance than a sequel, and will cover the trials and tribulations of the Rangers and their families as they work to rebuild their shattered world. Hope you all enjoyed this.


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